A Lydian #2 Scale on Guitar

The A Lydian #2 scale has the notes A, B#, C#, D#, E, F# and G#. Start from A Lydian and raise the second degree, so B becomes B#, and the gap between that note and the C# shrinks to a half step.

That B# is simply a C on the fretboard, which makes the pattern look like A major with a C natural and a D# added. The scale is the sixth mode of C# harmonic minor. Use the open A string as the root, then find it again on the 5th fret of the low E string.

Play the A lydian #2 scale

Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.

Notes of the A lydian #2 scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
A1Root0
B##2Minor 3rd3
C#3Major 3rd4
D##4Tritone6
E5Perfect 5th7
F#6Major 6th9
G#7Major 7th11

Structure

A lydian #2 scale notes:

A B# C# D# E F# G#

How the lydian #2 scale is built:

The lydian #2 scale is built from the degrees 1 #2 3 #4 5 6 7, which gives the step pattern W+H-H-W-H-W-W-H (W = whole step, H = half step).

Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11. That makes it a 7-note scale.

It is mode 6 of the Harmonic Minor Scale, so both scales share the same notes from a different starting point.

A Lydian #2 Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

A Lydian #2 Scale scale guitar pattern - On one string (A)

On one string (A)

A Lydian #2 Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 1

Box pattern — position 1

A Lydian #2 Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 2

Box pattern — position 2

A Lydian #2 Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 3

Box pattern — position 3

A Lydian #2 Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 4

Box pattern — position 4

A Lydian #2 Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 5

Box pattern — position 5

A Lydian #2 Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 1

3 notes per string — position 1

A Lydian #2 Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 2

3 notes per string — position 2

A Lydian #2 Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 3

3 notes per string — position 3

A Lydian #2 Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 4

3 notes per string — position 4

A Lydian #2 Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 5

3 notes per string — position 5

Chords in the A lydian #2 scale

Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
1 A Amaj7
#2 B#dim (same as Cdim) B#dim7 (same as Cdim7)
3 C#m C#m(maj7)
#4 D#dim D#m7(b5)
5 Eaug Emaj7(b13)
6 F#m F#m7
7 G# G#7

Scales with the same notes as A Lydian #2

These scales use exactly the same notes. Each one starts somewhere else, so the root and the mood change.

Other scales on A

Same root, different notes. Play them back to back to hear what changes.

The lydian #2 scale in other keys

All about the lydian #2 scale →

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