C Lydian Minor Guitar Scale
Guitar scale — fretboard diagram
C Lydian Minor Scale — Notes and Intervals
The C Lydian Minor scale is a unique scale that blends Lydian brightness with a layer of minor-key melancholy. On Guitar, the notes are C, D, E, F#, G, Ab, Bb. It provides a sophisticated, bittersweet color that is perfect for modern film scores and emotive jazz solos. Commonly used in Film Scores, Jazz, Progressive. Notable players include Danny Elfman, Brad Mehldau. Use over m7#11 chords. A specialized color for emotive jazz and cinematic passages that need emotional complexity.
Notes: C, D, E, F#, G, Ab, Bb
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 4A, 5P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 3 #4 5 b6 b7
Formula: W-W-W-H-H-W-W
Number of notes: 7
How to Play C Lydian Minor on Guitar
Place your index finger at fret 8 on the 6th (low E) to find your C root note. Use a three-notes-per-string fingering to cover the full scale in one position, or learn the CAGED shapes to navigate the entire fretboard. An alternative starting point is open position.
The C Lydian Minor scale contains both sharps and flats (1 sharp, 2 flats), which is common in altered and exotic scales. Its relative major is E major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Set a metronome to 80 BPM and play the C Lydian Minor scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on C to let the characteristic intervals of the Lydian Minor scale come through clearly.
Guitar Tips
On guitar, practice the C Lydian Minor scale on a single string from the open position to the 12th fret. This trains your ear to hear the intervals linearly and helps with slide guitar applications.
The C Lydian Minor scale contains 7 notes (C, D, E, F#, G, Ab, Bb). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for C Lydian Minor
The C Lydian Minor scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.
Explore C Lydian Minor Further
- Harmonize the C Lydian Minor scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- C Lydian Minor on Ukulele
- C Lydian Minor on Bass
- C Lydian Minor on Piano
Explore C Lydian Minor in Other Tunings
- C Lydian Minor in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- C Lydian Minor in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- C Lydian Minor in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- C Lydian Minor in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- C Lydian Minor in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- C Lydian Minor in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- C Lydian Minor in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- C Lydian Minor in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- C Lydian Minor in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- C Lydian Minor in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- C Lydian Minor in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- C Lydian Minor in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- C Lydian Minor in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- C Lydian Minor in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)