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D lydian pentatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

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

A string: A, C#, D, F#, G#, A at frets 0, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12

D string: D, F#, G#, A, C#, D at frets 0, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12

G string: G#, A, C#, D, F# at frets 1, 2, 6, 7, 11

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

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

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D 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

D 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 D 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 D.
  • 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

Open D is the root and open A the fifth, giving a two-string pedal that costs nothing while box one sits up at 10. Aside from that open D at 0, the nearest fretted root is 3 on the B, letting you work low without leaving the key. Roots also land at 5 on the A and 7 on the G. Low E fret 10 doubles that open D.

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