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B lydian pentatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E#, F#, A#, B, D# at frets 1, 2, 6, 7, 11

A string: A#, B, D#, E#, F# at frets 1, 2, 6, 8, 9

D string: D#, E#, F#, A#, B at frets 1, 3, 4, 8, 9

G string: A#, B, D#, E#, F# at frets 3, 4, 8, 10, 11

B string: B, D#, E#, F#, A#, B at frets 0, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12

High E string: E#, F#, A#, B, D# at frets 1, 2, 6, 7, 11

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B 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:

B

I

D♯

III

E♯

#IV

F♯

V

A♯

VII

Same notes, different mode

B 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.

D# hirajoshiE# iwatoA# kumoijoshi

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

tip
  • A maj7#11 in five notes: root, III, #IV (F), V, VII; sustain any of them over a major chord on B and nothing clashes.
  • Feature the #IV (F) 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 B.
  • 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 B lydian pentatonic on guitar

Open B is the only in-key open string and it happens to be a root, which means one pedal stays available with no finger on it while box one sits at 7. Fret 2 on the A matches the low E root at 7, letting either serve as the same pitch. Other roots land at 4 on the G and 9 on the D. Capo 2 makes it A fingerings.

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