STRINGSCALES

D lydian minor Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, G#, A, Bb, C, D, E at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

A string: A, Bb, C, D, E, F#, G#, A at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12

D string: D, E, F#, G#, A, Bb, C, D at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

G string: G#, A, Bb, C, D, E, F# at frets 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11

B string: C, D, E, F#, G#, A, Bb at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11

High E string: E, F#, G#, A, Bb, C, D, E at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

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D lydian minor

The lydian minor scale pairs a bright lydian bottom (natural 2nd and 3rd, raised 4th) with a minor top (flat 6th and 7th). The same collection appears as the fourth mode of the neapolitan major catalogue under the name lydian dominant b6. It is a bittersweet dominant color: shimmering below, sinking above, at home in film scoring.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

D

I

Dmaj
E

II

Emaj♭5
F♯

iii°

F♯dim
G♯

#IV

B♭7no5/G#
A

v

Am
B♭

bVI+

B♭aug
C

bVII+

Caug

Same notes, different mode

D lydian minor 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 lydian dominant b6E major locrianF# half-diminished b4G# altered dominant double b3A neapolitan majorBb leading whole toneC lydian augmented dominant

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

tip
  • Bright bottom, minor top: rise through the lydian half (II, III, #IV (G#)), then let b6 (Bb) and b7 (C) sink the landing.
  • Over a dominant chord heading to minor, it promises the darkness early; III and b7 (C) are the guide tones.
  • The same notes are catalogued as lydian dominant b6 (Bb), the fourth mode of neapolitan major; both names, one sound.
  • Film-score trick: hold a plain major triad on D and melodize with this scale; the b6 (Bb) against the chord's 5th is instant unease.

How to play D lydian minor on guitar

Open D is a root and open A the fifth directly above it, letting you hold an open-string pedal while the fretting hand moves. Both E strings sit a whole step up. Nearest fretted root is fret 3 on the B string, so first position already gives you something to land on besides the open D. Caug takes the bVII+, an augmented triad a whole step under the tonic, with the E-shape barre back at fret 10.

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