STRINGSCALES

E lydian minor Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

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

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

D string: D, E, F#, G#, A#, B, C, D at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12

G string: G#, A#, B, C, D, E, F# at frets 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11

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

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

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E 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:

E

I

Emaj
F♯

II

F#maj♭5
G♯

iii°

G♯dim
A♯

#IV

C7no5/A♯
B

v

Bm
C

bVI+

Caug
D

bVII+

Daug

Same notes, different mode

E 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.

E lydian dominant b6F# major locrianG# half-diminished b4A# altered dominant double b3B neapolitan majorC leading whole toneD 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 (A#)), then let b6 (C) and b7 (D) sink the landing.
  • Over a dominant chord heading to minor, it promises the darkness early; III and b7 (D) are the guide tones.
  • The same notes are catalogued as lydian dominant b6 (C), the fourth mode of neapolitan major; both names, one sound.
  • Film-score trick: hold a plain major triad on E and melodize with this scale; the b6 (C) against the chord's 5th is instant unease.

How to play E lydian minor on guitar

Both E strings ring open as roots and the open B supplies the fifth, so a root and fifth pedal costs nothing. Open D fills in the minor seventh. Box one begins at the nut and the next shape takes over at fret 4, which means the open position here is unusually short. Fretted roots wait at fret 7 on the A, fret 5 on the B and fret 9 on the G, with the E-shape barre at fret 12.

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