lydian dominant
A scale combining the raised fourth of the Lydian mode with the flat seventh of the Mixolydian mode, widely used in jazz and film scoring.
In Depth
The Lydian dominant scale (also called the Lydian b7, acoustic scale, or overtone scale) contains the notes 1-2-3-#4-5-6-b7 — essentially a major scale with both a raised fourth and a lowered seventh. This combination produces a bright, floating quality from the raised fourth while the flat seventh adds a bluesy, unresolved tension. The scale naturally occurs as the fourth mode of melodic minor, built on the scale's fourth degree. In jazz, the Lydian dominant is the standard scale for dominant seventh chords with a #11 (the "sharp eleven" sound ubiquitous in modern jazz voicings). It is also the scale that most closely corresponds to the natural overtone series of a vibrating string, which is why it is sometimes called the "acoustic scale" or "overtone scale." Film composers use it extensively to create a sense of wonder, vastness, or heroic aspiration — the "Lydian lift" of the raised fourth combined with the dominant seventh's forward motion creates a uniquely cinematic sound.
The Lydian dominant scale matches the natural overtone series more closely than any other seven-note scale, which is why some theorists argue it — not the major scale — is nature's own scale.