Ab Lydian Dominant, Shape by Shape

The Ab Lydian dominant scale is Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb, F and Gb, an easy spelling with only flats. D natural is the raised fourth that makes it Lydian.

The root sits on the 4th fret of the low E string and the 11th fret of the A string. Eb melodic minor provides the same seven notes. Once the shape is familiar, practising scales in context helps the sound stick.

Play the Ab lydian dominant scale

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

Notes of the Ab lydian dominant scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
Ab1Root0
Bb2Major 2nd2
C3Major 3rd4
D#4Tritone6
Eb5Perfect 5th7
F6Major 6th9
Gbb7Minor 7th10

Structure

Ab lydian dominant scale notes:

Ab Bb C D Eb F Gb

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.

Ab Lydian Dominant Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

Ab Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - On one string (G)

On one string (G)

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

Box pattern — position 1

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

Box pattern — position 2

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

Box pattern — position 3

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

Box pattern — position 4

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

Box pattern — position 5

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

3 notes per string — position 1

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

3 notes per string — position 2

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

3 notes per string — position 3

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

3 notes per string — position 4

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

3 notes per string — position 5

Chords in the Ab lydian dominant scale

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

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
1 Ab Ab7
2 Bb Bb7
3 Cdim Cm7(b5)
#4 Ddim Dm7(b5)
5 Ebm Ebm(maj7)
6 Fm Fm7
b7 Gbaug Gbmaj7(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