STRINGSCALES

B♭ lydian dominant Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

A string: Bb, C, D, E, F, G, Ab at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

D string: D, E, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

G string: G, Ab, Bb, C, D, E, F, G at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12

B string: C, D, E, F, G, Ab, Bb at frets 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11

High E string: E, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

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Bb lydian dominant

The lydian dominant scale, the fourth mode of the melodic minor scale, is also called the acoustic or overtone scale: a dominant 7th sound with a raised 4th. It is the sound of a 7#11 chord (the Simpsons theme opens with it) and the standard choice over non-resolving dominants like tritone substitutes. Brighter than mixolydian, bluesier than lydian.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

B♭

I

B♭maj
C

II

Cmaj
D

iii°

Ddim
E

#iv°

Edim
F

v

Fm
G

vi

Gm
A♭

bVII+

A♭aug

Characteristic notes: E (#4) and Ab (b7), the raised fourth combined with the flat seventh, the classic jazz fusion color.

Same notes, different mode

Bb lydian dominant 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 mixolydian b6D locrian #2E alteredF melodic minorG dorian b2Ab lydian augmented

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

tip
  • Over a 7#11 or any non-resolving dominant on Bb, this is the default modern choice: mixolydian's bVII (Ab) with lydian's #IV (E).
  • Use it on tritone-substitute chords: when the bass plays a half step above the target, Bb lydian dominant supplies every right note.
  • Feature the #4 (E) against the chord's 5th in the same phrase; that rub is the scale's identity (think of the Simpsons theme opening).
  • It is the fourth mode of melodic minor: borrow your melodic minor fingering starting a 4th below Bb.

How to play B♭ lydian dominant on guitar

Fret 1 on the A string carries a root and the A-shape barre starts there as well, so a full voicing is available in first position. Both E strings ring the raised fourth open, with open D and G filling in the major third and sixth. Lowest root is at fret 6, so the E-shape barre lands mid-neck rather than at the nut. Ddim is the iii° chord.

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