A Lydian Scale: The Bright Mode
The A Lydian scale is A, B, C#, D#, E, F# and G#. Compare it with A major and the only change is D#, the raised 4th, which lifts the whole sound into something bright and a little dreamy.
Let the open A string ring as the tonic, then find the same root on the 5th fret of the low E string. Its seven notes are those of E major. For a clear way to compare the two, see relative and parallel modes.
Play the A lydian scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the A lydian scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | Root | 0 |
| B | 2 | Major 2nd | 2 |
| C# | 3 | Major 3rd | 4 |
| D# | #4 | Tritone | 6 |
| E | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| F# | 6 | Major 6th | 9 |
| G# | 7 | Major 7th | 11 |
Structure
A lydian scale notes:
How the lydian scale is built:
The lydian scale is built from the degrees 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7, which gives the step pattern W-W-W-H-W-W-H (W = whole step, H = half step).
Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11. That makes it a 7-note scale.
It is mode 4 of the Major Scale, so both scales share the same notes from a different starting point.
A Lydian Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (A)
Box pattern — position 1
Box pattern — position 2
Box pattern — position 3
Box pattern — position 4
Box pattern — position 5
3 notes per string — position 1
3 notes per string — position 2
3 notes per string — position 3
3 notes per string — position 4
3 notes per string — position 5
Chords in the A lydian scale
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.
Related modes
These scales share the same notes as the lydian scale, starting from a different degree.
The lydian scale in other keys
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
