F# Lydian Pentatonic Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in 7-string tuning — fretboard diagram
F# Lydian Pentatonic in 7-string — Notes and Intervals
The F# Lydian Pentatonic scale is a mystical five-note scale that highlights the unique Lydian character. On Guitar, it contains the notes F#, A#, C, C#, F. 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: F#, A#, C, C#, F
Intervals: 1P, 3M, 4A, 5P, 7M
Degrees: 1 2 #3 4 5
Formula: 4-W-H-4-H
Number of notes: 5
Tuning: 7-string (B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
Also known as: chinese
About 7-string Tuning
The 7-string guitar adds a low B string below the standard 6-string tuning (B-E-A-D-G-B-E), extending the instrument's range into bass territory. This extra low end has become essential in progressive metal, djent, and modern heavy music, enabling crushing low-end riffs while maintaining access to standard guitar voicings on the upper strings.
Pioneered by jazz guitarist George Van Eps and later brought into the metal mainstream by Steve Vai and Korn, the 7-string guitar has become a staple of modern heavy music. Players like Tosin Abasi, Misha Mansoor, and John Petrucci have pushed the instrument's capabilities into new territory, using the extended range for complex harmonic progressions, polyrhythmic riffs, and sweeping arpeggios that span an enormous tonal range.
Notable artists: Dream Theater, Periphery, Animals as Leaders, Korn, Meshuggah
Best for: Progressive metal riffs, extended-range chord voicings, djent rhythms, and jazz fusion harmony
Musical Character
Highlights the #4 tritone in just 5 notes, creating maximum 'floating' sensation with minimum complexity. A shortcut to cinematic sounds.
Chord Progressions Using This Scale
- I – II – IV – I (Lydian II)Pop / Rock — Euphoric