STRINGSCALES

C lydian dominant Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

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

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

D string: D, E, F#, G, A, Bb, C, D at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

G string: G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F#, G at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12

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

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

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C 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:

C

I

Cmaj
D

II

Dmaj
E

iii°

Edim
F♯

#iv°

F♯dim
G

v

Gm
A

vi

Am
B♭

bVII+

B♭aug

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

Same notes, different mode

C 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.

D mixolydian b6E locrian #2F# alteredG melodic minorA dorian b2Bb lydian augmented

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

tip
  • Over a 7#11 or any non-resolving dominant on C, this is the default modern choice: mixolydian's bVII (Bb) with lydian's #IV (F#).
  • Use it on tritone-substitute chords: when the bass plays a half step above the target, C lydian dominant supplies every right note.
  • Feature the #4 (F#) 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 C.

How to play C lydian dominant on guitar

Open low E, A, D, G and high E all sit in this key, so you can ring five strings against a fretted line without a clash. Only the B string sits outside. Roots begin at fret 8 on the low E, with the E-shape barre in the same spot, which means chord and melody share a hand position. DM is the II chord, a major triad a whole step above the tonic.

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