Colour key
R234p567Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.
A Lydian
♯4, the raised 4th. Bright, floating, dreamy: film-score wonder.
Where you hear it: Imaj7 – II vamp; the ♯11 colour on IVmaj7.
Step pattern W – W – W – H – W – W – H
- Relative major: E major (this mode starts on its 4th degree)
- Relative minor: D♭ natural minor (starts on the 6th degree of E major)
- Compared with A major: ♯4 D → D♯
- Compared with A natural minor: ♯3 C → C♯, ♯4 D → D♯, ♯6 F → F♯, ♯7 G → G♯
A Lydian on the guitar
Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.
in the major pentatonic: playedother notes of Lydian: not playedPlay runs up the position from its lowest note and back down; Sample melody plays a short tune using only its notes. Tap a position's name to see it on the neck.
Modes with the same notes as A Lydian
Every chord in A Lydian
- Amaj71/22easyopen
- B71/20easyopen
- C♯m71/16easyfret 4· shell
- D♯m7♭51/12easyfret 1
- Emaj71/20easyfret 12· shell
- F♯m71/18easyfret 2· shell
- G♯m71/13easyfret 4· shell
Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.
Iconic progressions in A Lydian
A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.
I – II
The Lydian signature. The II is a major chord a whole step up, and it contains the ♯4, the note that makes the scale float.
I – II – V – I
Home, the bright II, the major V and back. The first three chords are all major, which is why Lydian sounds so open.
I – II – iii
A rising line of three steps: I, II, iii. Each root is a whole step above the last, a film-score “wonder” gesture.
Sus and extension chords from each chord
From A you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of A Lydian.
Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
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Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.