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A lydian pentatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, G#, A, C#, D#, E at frets 0, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12

A string: A, C#, D#, E, G#, A at frets 0, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12

D string: D#, E, G#, A, C# at frets 1, 2, 6, 7, 11

G string: G#, A, C#, D#, E at frets 1, 2, 6, 8, 9

B string: C#, D#, E, G#, A at frets 2, 4, 5, 9, 10

High E string: E, G#, A, C#, D#, E at frets 0, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12

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A 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

A 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 A 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 A.
  • 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 A is a root and both E strings the fifth, which puts three ringing strings around a shape whose lowest root is fret 5. That open A shares its pitch exactly with the low E at 5, meaning the two are one note in different places. Fretted roots follow at 2 on the G, 7 on the D and 10 on the B. A-shape barre reaches 12, an octave up.

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