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C lydian pentatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, G, B, C, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12

A string: B, C, E, F#, G at frets 2, 3, 7, 9, 10

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

G string: G, B, C, E, F#, G at frets 0, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12

B string: B, C, E, F#, G, B at frets 0, 1, 5, 7, 8, 12

High E string: E, F#, G, B, C, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12

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C 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:

C

I

E

III

F♯

#IV

G

V

B

VII

Same notes, different mode

C 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.

E hirajoshiF# iwatoB 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 C 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 C.
  • 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 C lydian pentatonic on guitar

Open G is the fifth and both E strings the 3rd, which puts a usable drone under a box that starts at fret 8. Open B joins as the 7th, so 4 of the 6 strings ring in key before you touch a fret. Fretted roots sit at 1 on the B, 3 on the A, 5 on the G and 10 on the D. Low E fret 8 is the lowest root.

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