D Chinese Scale
D Chinese contains 5 notes: D, F♯, G♯, A, C♯. It has 3 sharps: F♯, G♯, C♯. The step pattern is 4h–W–H–4h–H.
A bright, exotic pentatonic scale with a raised 4th that gives it a dreamy, Lydian-flavored quality. Despite its name, it's just one of many scales used in Chinese music — but it definitely sounds otherworldly and ancient.
The formula is 1, 3, #4, 5, 7. Unusual among pentatonic scales for containing a major 3rd, sharp 4th (tritone), and major 7th — all bright, upward-reaching intervals. It lacks the 2nd and 6th degrees, which creates wide melodic leaps and a spacious, crystalline quality.
The wide intervals make for some interesting stretches on the fretboard. It works naturally over major 7th chords, especially with a #11 extension. Try playing it high on the neck with a clean tone — the brightness really shines in the upper register. The five-box shapes are less intuitive than standard pentatonic due to the larger gaps between notes.
Think of this as a Lydian pentatonic — it captures the dreamy, floaty essence of Lydian mode in just five notes. Superimposing it over a static major chord creates instant sophistication. Fusion players use it to add a spacious, modern sound to major-key passages without committing to the full seven-note Lydian scale.