A Lydian Pentatonic Guitar Scale — Drop B

Guitar scale in Drop B tuning — fretboard diagram

A Lydian Pentatonic in Drop B — Notes and Intervals

The A Lydian Pentatonic scale is a mystical five-note scale that highlights the unique Lydian character. On Guitar, it contains the notes A, C#, D#, E, G#. It creates a floating, celestial atmosphere and is often used in modern jazz and ambient music to provide a sense of brightness and space without the density of a full scale. Commonly used in Fusion, Ambient, Film Scores, New Age. Notable players include Allan Holdsworth, Joe Satriani, Chick Corea. Use over Maj7#11, Maj9 chords. Perfect for dreamy, non-resolving passages in fusion and ambient music.

Notes: A, C#, D#, E, G#

Intervals: 1P, 3M, 4A, 5P, 7M

Degrees: 1 2 #3 4 5

Formula: 4-W-H-4-H

Number of notes: 5

Tuning: Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)

Also known as: chinese

About Drop B Tuning

Drop B tuning (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#) takes the guitar into territory traditionally reserved for 7-string instruments, delivering a subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest. This tuning has become essential in modern extreme metal, deathcore, and djent, where low-end clarity and rhythmic precision are paramount.

Drop B represents the practical limit of what a standard 6-string guitar can handle before tone quality degrades. With the right string gauge (12-60 or heavier) and proper setup, it delivers the crushing lows of a 7-string while keeping the familiar 6-string layout. Bands like Architects, Periphery (on some tracks), and Parkway Drive have used Drop B to create some of the heaviest riffs in modern metal.

DeathcoreDjentProgressive MetalExtreme MetalMetalcore

Notable artists: Architects, Parkway Drive, Whitechapel, Born of Osiris, Emmure

Best for: Extreme metal riffs, deathcore breakdowns, djent chugs, and any style demanding the lowest possible 6-string tuning

Explore This Scale in Other Tunings

← All Guitar scales in Drop B tuning