C# Lydian Dominant Ukulele Scale

Ukulele scale — fretboard diagramAdvanced

What chords fit over C# Lydian Dominant?

C# Lydian Dominant Scale — Notes and Intervals

The C# Lydian Dominant scale, also known as the Acoustic scale, sounds bright, quirky, and dominant all at once. On Ukulele, its notes are C#, D#, F, G, G#, A#, B. 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: C#, D#, F, G, G#, A#, B

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

Also known as: lydian b7, overtone

Musical Character

BrightQuirkyDominantSophisticated

Combines Lydian's floating brightness (#4) with Mixolydian's bluesy dominance (b7). The result is a scale that is both dreamy and grounded — bright without being sweet.

Genres & Notable Artists

Genres: Jazz, Fusion, Blues, Film Scores

Notable players: Frank Zappa, Larry Carlton, Pat Metheny

How to Use the C# Lydian Dominant Scale

Use over 7#11, 9#11 chords. Ideal for non-resolving dominant chords (the 'Simpsons chord'). Gives a sophisticated twist to blues progressions.

Origin & Background

Also called the Acoustic scale or Overtone scale because it closely matches the natural harmonic series.

How to Play C# Lydian Dominant on Ukulele

On ukulele, find C# on the open strings or work through the scale within a four-fret span. You may need to shift positions once to cover all 7 notes. Practice each position separately before linking them together.

The C# Lydian Dominant scale contains 4 sharps (C#, D#, G#, A#). Its relative minor is A# minor, which shares the same notes.

Practice Routine

Practice the C# Lydian Dominant scale by playing it ascending with one rhythmic feel (straight eighth notes) and descending with another (swing or triplets) at 100 BPM. This dual approach trains both technical accuracy and rhythmic versatility with the 7 notes of the scale.

Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on C# to let the characteristic intervals of the Lydian Dominant scale come through clearly. This scale is especially effective in blues contexts.

Ukulele Tips

The compact fretboard of the ukulele makes the C# Lydian Dominant scale easy to visualize in a single position. Use this to your advantage by memorizing the scale shape relative to chord shapes you already know. Aim for a bright quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.

Related Scales

Lydian Dominant is the 4th mode of the Melodic Minor scale (Acoustic scale). View C# Melodic minor scale

The C# Lydian Dominant scale contains 7 notes (C#, D#, F, G, G#, A#, B). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Ukulele with different tunings and fret ranges.

CAGED Positions & Patterns for C# Lydian Dominant

The C# Lydian Dominant 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 Dominant Further

Explore C# Lydian Dominant in Other Tunings

C# Lydian Dominant in Baritone (E-B-G-D)

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