What is a Lydian Dominant?

A Lydian dominant is a type of dominant seventh chord that includes a raised fourth (or sharp eleventh) scale degree. It combines the basic structure of a dominant chord with the bright sound of the Lydian mode.

The chord contains the notes of a dominant seventh chord—root, major third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh—but also features the #11 (or raised fourth) as an important color tone. For example, a C Lydian dominant chord would include the notes C, E, G, B♭, and F♯, where F♯ is the raised fourth that gives the chord its distinctive sound.

The Lydian dominant sound comes from the fourth mode of the melodic minor scale. It is widely used in jazz and fusion music, especially over dominant chords that resolve to another dominant chord or move in nontraditional ways. The raised fourth creates a bright and slightly tense color that adds richness and modern harmonic flavor to the chord.