ArpeggiosEN

Scale quality

lydian dominant

Lydian dominant is the fourth degree of melodic minor: the lydian shape with a flattened seventh, which makes it a dominant scale with a raised fourth. The sharp fourth gives lift while the flat seventh supplies the dominant's pull, so the scale is the natural choice over a 7♯11 chord and the tritone-substitution dominant. Jazz and fusion players use it constantly because it sounds sophisticated without becoming harsh — the tritone between the third and seventh is still there, but the raised fourth keeps the top of the chord open. Listen for the sharp fourth singing over the dominant tritone.

Formula
1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7
Notes
C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯♯ G♯ A♯ B
Family
Melodic minor modes

Notation in C♯

representative key
44123♯456♭71

Fretboard — frets 0–12

C♯ lydian dominant — frets 0 to 12, 44 notes, roots in orange3♯456♭712♭7123♯456♭7♯456♭7123♯423♯456♭716♭7123♯453♯456♭7120123456789101112
C♯ lydian dominant — frets 0 to 12, 44 notes, roots in orange3♯456♭712♭7123♯456♭7♯456♭7123♯423♯456♭716♭7123♯453♯456♭7120123456789101112

All 17 keys

open a key →

Same family

How to practise this scale

  • Play the sharp fourth and flat seventh together and hear the dominant lift.
  • Improvise over a 7♯11 chord and land on the raised fourth.
  • Compare it with mixolydian and isolate the raised fourth.
  • Play the scale over a tritone-substitution dominant and resolve down a half-step.