Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Scale
D Lydian Dominant Scale
Bright, bluesy and modern. A dominant sound with a raised fourth that gives it a shimmering, slightly unexpected lift.
- 7 notes
- 2 ♯
- jazz
1Composition: what it contains
D – E – F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C
- Formula
- 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7
- Steps
- W – W – W – H – W – H – W
- Number of notes
- 7
- Sharps and flats
- 2 ♯
- Also called
- Lydian ♭7, overtone scale, acoustic scale, Mixolydian ♯4, fourth mode of melodic minor
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | unison | 0 |
| 2 | E | major second | 2 |
| 3 | F♯ | major third | 4 |
| ♯4 | G♯ | augmented fourth | 6 |
| 5 | A | perfect fifth | 7 |
| 6 | B | major sixth | 9 |
| ♭7 | C | minor seventh | 10 |
2Appearance: diagrams and sound
Tip: click any note, key or fret to hear it. Orange = root.
3Indications: what it is used for
The fourth mode of the melodic minor scale (1-2-3-♯4-5-6-♭7). Use it over dominant seventh chords with a ♯11 (7♯11, 9♯11, 13♯11), especially non-resolving dominants: the ♭VII7 in a minor or major key, the II7 chord, tritone substitutions (♭II7 resolving to I) and the IV7 chord in a blues. It suits jazz, fusion, Brazilian music and cartoon or film scores. Its first notes closely follow the harmonic series, which is why it sounds natural despite the ♯4.
4Dosage: how to practise it
Ten minutes daily at 70–110 BPM over a 7♯11 chord vamp. Play the scale in thirds and in four-note groups, and practise the triad pair built on degrees 1 and 2 (a major triad and the major triad a whole step above). On guitar, learn three-notes-per-string patterns. On piano, voice the chord as 1-3-♭7 in the left hand with 9 and ♯11 on top. Practise tritone-substitution ii–♭II7–I progressions, using this scale on the substitute dominant.
5Warnings and common mistakes
Do not use it over a dominant chord with a sus4 or a plain 4 in the melody: the ♯4 will clash. When the dominant resolves strongly to a minor chord, altered or phrygian dominant scales usually fit better. Do not confuse it with Lydian (major seventh) or Mixolydian (natural fourth). Spell the raised fourth as ♯4/♯11, not ♭5, because the fifth is still present.
6Interactions with chords, scales and keys
Chords of the scale (triads)
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | D | D – F♯ – A | |
| II | E | E – G♯ – B | |
| iii° | F♯dim | F♯ – A – C | |
| ♯iv° | G♯dim | G♯ – B – D | |
| v | Am | A – C – E | |
| vi | Bm | B – D – F♯ | |
| ♭VII+ | Caug | C – E – G♯ |
Chords of the scale (seventh chords)
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| I7 | D7 | D – F♯ – A – C | |
| II7 | E7 | E – G♯ – B – D | |
| iiiø7 | F♯m7♭5 | F♯ – A – C – E | |
| ♯ivø7 | G♯m7♭5 | G♯ – B – D – F♯ | |
| v(maj7) | Am(maj7) | A – C – E – G♯ | |
| vi7 | Bm7 | B – D – F♯ – A | |
| ♭VII+maj7 | C+maj7 | C – E – G♯ – B |
Same notes, different starting point
7Other presentations available
The same scale from every note
- C Lydian Dominant Scale
- D flat Lydian Dominant Scale
- E flat Lydian Dominant Scale
- E Lydian Dominant Scale
- F Lydian Dominant Scale
- F sharp Lydian Dominant Scale
- G Lydian Dominant Scale
- A flat Lydian Dominant Scale
- A Lydian Dominant Scale
- B flat Lydian Dominant Scale
- B Lydian Dominant Scale
Other scales from the same note
- D Major Scale
- D Natural Minor Scale
- D Harmonic Minor Scale
- D Melodic Minor Scale
- D Dorian Mode
- D Phrygian Mode
- D Lydian Mode
- D Mixolydian Mode
- D Locrian Mode
- D Major Pentatonic Scale
- D Minor Pentatonic Scale
- D Blues Scale
- D Major Blues Scale
- D Whole Tone Scale
- D Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- D Whole-Half Diminished Scale
- D Phrygian Dominant Scale
- D Hungarian Minor Scale
- D Altered Scale
- D Double Harmonic Major Scale
- D Bebop Dominant Scale
Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.