STRINGSCALES

A♭ lydian pentatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: G, Ab, C, D, Eb at frets 3, 4, 8, 10, 11

A string: C, D, Eb, G, Ab at frets 3, 5, 6, 10, 11

D string: D, Eb, G, Ab, C, D at frets 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 12

G string: G, Ab, C, D, Eb, G at frets 0, 1, 5, 7, 8, 12

B string: C, D, Eb, G, Ab at frets 1, 3, 4, 8, 9

High E string: G, Ab, C, D, Eb at frets 3, 4, 8, 10, 11

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Ab lydian pentatonic

The lydian pentatonic, catalogued in some collections as the chinese scale, is root, major 3rd, raised 4th, 5th, major 7th. It compresses the lydian mode's floating #4 and leading tone into five notes that outline a maj7#11 chord. Sparse and bright, it turns a static major 7th vamp into something wide open.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

A♭

I

C

III

D

#IV

E♭

V

G

VII

Same notes, different mode

Ab lydian pentatonic uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

C hirajoshiD iwatoG kumoijoshi

lydian pentatonic in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • A maj7#11 in five notes: root, III, #IV (D), V, VII; sustain any of them over a major chord on Ab and nothing clashes.
  • Feature the #IV (D) to V half step and the VII to root resolution: two leading motions in one sparse scale.
  • Some catalogues call it the chinese scale; its wide-open 3rds invite double-stop playing in Ab.
  • Use it to state lydian color instantly, one phrase of these five notes over a maj7 chord says #11 louder than a full modal run.

How to play A♭ lydian pentatonic on guitar

Open D and open G are in the key as the augmented fourth and the 7th, so neither will hold a pedal under the fret-4 root. Roots need fretting from 1 on the G up to 11 on the A, with 4 on both E strings, 6 on the D and 9 on the B. Capo the 1st fret and G shapes carry over, letting you borrow a friendlier key's fingerings. Box one runs 4 to 7.

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