C# Lydian Dominant With a Double Sharp

C#, D#, E#, F##, G#, A# and B are the notes of the C# Lydian dominant scale. Only F## is unusual: it is the sharp fourth, and on the fretboard it is simply G.

The scale is the fourth mode of G# melodic minor, so use that scale's shapes as a map. The root sits on the 9th fret of the low E string and the 4th fret of the A string. Db Lydian dominant is the alternate spelling.

Play the C# lydian dominant scale

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

Notes of the C# lydian dominant scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
C#1Root0
D#2Major 2nd2
E#3Major 3rd4
F###4Tritone6
G#5Perfect 5th7
A#6Major 6th9
Bb7Minor 7th10

Structure

C# lydian dominant scale notes:

C# D# E# F## G# A# B

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.

C# Lydian Dominant Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

C# Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - On one string (B)

On one string (B)

C# Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 1

Box pattern — position 1

C# Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 2

Box pattern — position 2

C# Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 3

Box pattern — position 3

C# Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 4

Box pattern — position 4

C# Lydian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 5

Box pattern — position 5

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

3 notes per string — position 1

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

3 notes per string — position 2

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

3 notes per string — position 3

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

3 notes per string — position 4

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

3 notes per string — position 5

Chords in the C# lydian dominant scale

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

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
1 C# C#7
2 D# D#7
3 E#dim E#m7(b5)
#4 F##dim F##m7(b5)
5 G#m G#m(maj7)
6 A#m A#m7
b7 Baug Bmaj7(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