A LydianScale

Formula

W W W H W W H 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7
The family

A Lydian on the chromatic circle

A Lydian is the 4th mode of the Major family. Pick another note on the circle to open the scale that starts there.

W W H W W W H 5 EI Ionian 6 F♯II Dorian 7 G♯III Phrygian 1 AIV Lydian 2 BV Mixolydian 3 C♯VI Aeolian ♯4 D♯VII Locrian A Lydian
The whole neck

A Lydian across the fretboard

Every note of the scale up to the 16th fret, named by its degree. The root is a ring. Step through the five CAGED positions one at a time in the scale library.

3 5 7 9 12 15 5 6 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 1 2 ♯4 5 6 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 1 2 3 5 6 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6
Harmony

Chords in A Lydian

Stack every other note of the scale from each degree and you get its chords. Open any of them in the chord library.

DegreeChordNotes
IAmaj7A C♯ E G♯
IIB7B D♯ F♯ A
iiiC♯m7C♯ E G♯ B
♯iv°D♯m7♭5D♯ F♯ A C♯
VEmaj7E G♯ B D♯
viF♯m7F♯ A C♯ E
viiG♯m7G♯ B D♯ F♯
Context

Where A Lydian fits

Major with a raised 4th: film scores, dreamy pop and jazz over maj7♯11 chords. At home over the IV chord of a major key.

A Lydian is mode 4 of the major family. The same notes played from each of its other degrees give the family's other modes:

Move one note by a half step and you get a different scale:

Lydian scale in every key

A Lydian scale questions

What notes are in the A Lydian scale?

A B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯. As degrees from the root: 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7.

What is the A Lydian scale formula?

1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7, or in steps between the notes, W W W H W W H (W is a whole step of two frets, H a half step of one fret, 1½ three frets).

How do you play the A Lydian scale on guitar?

This page draws every note of A Lydian up to the 16th fret, each named by its degree with the root as a ring. To learn it a few frets at a time, open it in the scale library and step through its five CAGED positions, from the G shape to the E shape to the D shape to the C shape to the A shape.

What chords are in the A Lydian scale?

Amaj7 (I), B7 (II), C♯m7 (iii), D♯m7♭5 (♯iv°), Emaj7 (V), F♯m7 (vi), G♯m7 (vii).

When is the A Lydian scale used?

Major with a raised 4th: film scores, dreamy pop and jazz over maj7♯11 chords. At home over the IV chord of a major key.