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D♭ lydian pentatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, G, Ab, C, Db at frets 1, 3, 4, 8, 9

A string: C, Db, F, G, Ab at frets 3, 4, 8, 10, 11

D string: F, G, Ab, C, Db at frets 3, 5, 6, 10, 11

G string: G, Ab, C, Db, F, G at frets 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 12

B string: C, Db, F, G, Ab at frets 1, 2, 6, 8, 9

High E string: F, G, Ab, C, Db at frets 1, 3, 4, 8, 9

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Db 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:

D♭

I

F

III

G

#IV

A♭

V

C

VII

Same notes, different mode

Db 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.

F hirajoshiG iwatoC kumoijoshi

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

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

Only the open G is in the key here, landing an augmented fourth from the root, meaning it adds bite rather than support beneath the 9th-fret low E. Capo the 1st fret and C shapes take over, which lets you reuse fingerings you already have. Roots elsewhere sit at 2 on the B, 4 on the A, 6 on the G and 11 on the D. Both E strings hold one at 9.

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