A Lydian Dominant Banjo 5 String Scale — Standard (Open G)
Banjo 5 String scale in Standard (Open G) tuning — fretboard diagram
A Lydian Dominant in Standard (Open G) — Notes and Intervals
The A Lydian Dominant scale, also known as the Acoustic scale, sounds bright, quirky, and dominant all at once. On Banjo 5 String, its notes are A, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G. It is widely used in jazz and animation music to solo over dominant chords that do not resolve in the traditional way. Commonly used in Jazz, Fusion, Blues, Film Scores. Notable players include Frank Zappa, Larry Carlton, Pat Metheny. Use over 7#11, 9#11 chords. Ideal for non-resolving dominant chords (the 'Simpsons chord'). Gives a sophisticated twist to blues progressions.
Notes: A, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 4A, 5P, 6M, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 3 #4 5 6 b7
Formula: W-W-W-H-W-H-W
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: Standard (Open G) (G-D-G-B-D)
Also known as: lydian b7, overtone
About Standard (Open G) Tuning
The 5-string banjo is tuned to an open G chord (g-D-G-B-D), with the distinctive 5th string — a short drone string that starts at the 5th fret. This unique design creates the banjo's signature sound: bright, ringing open strings that sustain over rapid three-finger picking patterns (rolls). The open G tuning means simply strumming produces a full G major chord.
Earl Scruggs revolutionized banjo playing in the 1940s with his three-finger picking style, creating the driving rhythmic sound that defines bluegrass. Béla Fleck later pushed the banjo into jazz, classical, and world music territories. The 5th string drone is what makes the banjo unique among fretted instruments — it provides a constant high G pedal tone that rings through every roll pattern, creating the instrument's hypnotic, cascading sound. In clawhammer (old-time) style, the 5th string serves as a rhythmic thumb drone between downstrokes.
Notable artists: Earl Scruggs, Béla Fleck, Tony Trischka, Noam Pikelny, Ralph Stanley
Best for: Bluegrass rolls, clawhammer old-time, folk fingerpicking, and any style that benefits from the banjo's distinctive ringing drone