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C lydian dominant pentatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

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

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

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

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

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

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

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C lydian dominant pentatonic

The lydian dominant pentatonic condenses the lydian dominant mode into root, major 3rd, raised 4th, 5th, flat 7th: a 7#11 chord as a scale. It delivers that bright-but-bluesy Simpsons-theme color over a dominant chord in five notes, perfect when you want the #11 sound stated plainly rather than buried in a seven note run.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

C

I

E

III

F♯

#IV

G

V

B♭

bVII

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

tip
  • This is a C7#11 chord as five notes: the root, 3rd (E), raised 4th (F#), 5th (G) and flat 7th (Bb); play it over a dominant vamp and the #11 states itself.
  • Where the full lydian dominant scale can sound busy, this pentatonic keeps only the color tones; use it for sparse funk lines.
  • Rock the #IV (F#) against the V, a half step apart, as the scale's built-in hook.
  • Resolve bVII (Bb) down a half step when the dominant finally moves; everything else can stay where it is.

How to play C lydian dominant pentatonic on guitar

Open G string is the fifth, so it drones under box 1 without any left-hand help. Both E strings are in scale as the major third, giving three open strings to ring against a line. Box 1 sits at fret 8. Roots at fret 1 on the B string and fret 3 on the A stay near the nut, which means the low end is playable without shifting up.

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