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Scale · 7 notes

B Lydian Dominant Scale

B Lydian Dominant is a 7-note scale with the notes B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A. It sounds the fourth mode of melodic minor: Lydian with a flat 7th, bright and dominant at once, the sound of 7♯11 chords.

E♯ABC♯D♯F♯G♯

Purple = B (the tonic) · green = other scale notes

On the fretboard

Every B lydian dominant note on the neck. Pick a pattern to see the compact fingering shape that fits under one hand.

EADGBe135791215E♯F♯G♯ABC♯D♯E♯F♯ABC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯ABD♯E♯F♯G♯ABC♯D♯E♯G♯ABC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯ABC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯ABC♯E♯F♯G♯ABC♯D♯E♯F♯

Blue = B (the root) · green = other scale notes

Notes in the B Lydian Dominant scale

DegreeNoteName
1BTonic
2C♯Supertonic
3D♯Mediant
♯4E♯Subdominant
5F♯Dominant
6G♯Submediant
♭7ASubtonic

Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A.

B Lydian Dominant scale formula

The pattern of steps from one note to the next is W – W – W – H – W – H – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7.

Chords in the B Lydian Dominant scale

Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:

DegreeTriad7th chord
IBB7
IIC♯C♯7
iii°D♯°D♯ø7
iv°E♯°E♯ø7
vF♯mF♯m(maj7)
viG♯mG♯m7
VII+A+A7♯5

Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.

How to practise the B Lydian Dominant scale

Learn it as a rotation of a scale you already know (lydian dominant is melodic minor starting on its 4th note, altered starts on its 7th) and play it over the matching chord with a drone on the root.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes in the B Lydian Dominant scale?

The notes of the B Lydian Dominant scale are B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A.

What is the formula for the B Lydian Dominant scale?

The pattern of whole and half steps is W – W – W – H – W – H – W (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7.

What chords are in the B Lydian Dominant scale?

Built from the scale in triads: B, C♯, D♯°, E♯°, F♯m, G♯m, A+.

More B scales

B Major, B Natural Minor, B Harmonic Minor, B Melodic Minor, B Dorian, B Phrygian, B Lydian, B Mixolydian, B Locrian, B Major Pentatonic, B Minor Pentatonic, B Blues, B Altered, B Dorian ♭2, B Mixolydian ♭6, B Locrian ♯2, B Phrygian Dominant, B Hungarian Minor, B Double Harmonic, B Diminished (W–H), B Diminished (H–W), B Bebop Dominant, B Bebop Major

Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.