D LydianScale

Formula

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

D Lydian on the chromatic circle

D 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 AI Ionian 6 BII Dorian 7 C♯III Phrygian 1 DIV Lydian 2 EV Mixolydian 3 F♯VI Aeolian ♯4 G♯VII Locrian D Lydian
The whole neck

D 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 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 1 2 3 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 6 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 1 2 3
Harmony

Chords in D 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
IDmaj7D F♯ A C♯
IIE7E G♯ B D
iiiF♯m7F♯ A C♯ E
♯iv°G♯m7♭5G♯ B D F♯
VAmaj7A C♯ E G♯
viBm7B D F♯ A
viiC♯m7C♯ E G♯ B
Context

Where D 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.

D 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

D Lydian scale questions

What notes are in the D Lydian scale?

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

What is the D 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 D Lydian scale on guitar?

This page draws every note of D 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 C shape to the A shape to the G shape to the E shape to the D shape.

What chords are in the D Lydian scale?

Dmaj7 (I), E7 (II), F♯m7 (iii), G♯m7♭5 (♯iv°), Amaj7 (V), Bm7 (vi), C♯m7 (vii).

When is the D 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.