E Lydian Dominant, Starting Open

E Lydian dominant is E, F#, G#, A#, B, C# and D. The open low E, D, B and high E strings all belong to it, while A# is the note that gives it the Lydian colour.

The root is also on the 7th fret of the A string. Try the diagonal scale patterns to travel from the nut up the neck, since the notes match B melodic minor.

Play the E lydian dominant scale

Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.

Notes of the E lydian dominant scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
E1Root0
F#2Major 2nd2
G#3Major 3rd4
A##4Tritone6
B5Perfect 5th7
C#6Major 6th9
Db7Minor 7th10

Structure

E lydian dominant scale notes:

E F# G# A# B C# D

How the lydian dominant scale is built:

The lydian dominant scale is built from the degrees 1 2 3 #4 5 6 b7, which gives the step pattern W-W-W-H-W-H-W (W = whole step, H = half step).

Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10. That makes it a 7-note scale.

It is mode 4 of the Melodic Minor Scale, so both scales share the same notes from a different starting point.

It is also known as Lydian b7 and Overtone Scale.

E Lydian Dominant Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

E Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - On one string (low E)

On one string (low E)

E Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 1

Box pattern — position 1

E Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 2

Box pattern — position 2

E Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 3

Box pattern — position 3

E Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 4

Box pattern — position 4

E Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 5

Box pattern — position 5

E Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 1

3 notes per string — position 1

E Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 2

3 notes per string — position 2

E Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 3

3 notes per string — position 3

E Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 4

3 notes per string — position 4

E Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 5

3 notes per string — position 5

Chords in the E lydian dominant scale

Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
1 E E7
2 F# F#7
3 G#dim G#m7(b5)
#4 A#dim A#m7(b5)
5 Bm Bm(maj7)
6 C#m C#m7
b7 Daug Dmaj7(b13)

Related modes

These scales share the same notes as the lydian dominant scale, starting from a different degree.

Melodic Minor Scale Dorian b2 Scale Lydian Augmented Scale Mixolydian b6 Scale Aeolian b5 Scale Super Locrian Scale

The lydian dominant scale in other keys

C C# Db D D# Eb E F F# Gb G G# Ab A A# Bb B

All about the lydian dominant scale →

Giancarlo Facoetti, founder of FaChords Guitar

Created by

Giancarlo Facoetti

Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher