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F lydian pentatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F, A, B, C, E at frets 0, 1, 5, 7, 8, 12

A string: A, B, C, E, F, A at frets 0, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12

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

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

B string: B, C, E, F, A, B at frets 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 12

High E string: E, F, A, B, C, E at frets 0, 1, 5, 7, 8, 12

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F 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:

F

I

A

III

B

#IV

C

V

E

VII

Same notes, different mode

F 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.

A hirajoshiB iwatoE kumoijoshi

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

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

Every pitch here is a natural, 0 sharps and 0 flats, which means the spelling never gets in the way. Four open strings sit in the key but none is the root or the fifth, so treat them as texture over the fret-1 low E root. Roots run 1 on both E strings, 3 on the D, 6 on the B, 8 on the A and 10 on the G. Capo 1 and E shapes fit.

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