Colour key
R234p567Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.
B♭ 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: F major (this mode starts on its 4th degree)
- Relative minor: D natural minor (starts on the 6th degree of F major)
- Compared with B♭ major: ♯4 E♭ → E
- Compared with B♭ natural minor: ♯3 D♭ → D, ♯4 E♭ → E, ♯6 G♭ → G, ♯7 A♭ → A
B♭ 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 B♭ Lydian
Every chord in B♭ Lydian
- B♭maj71/20easyfret 6· shell
- C71/22easyopen
- Dm71/18easyopen
- Em7♭51/12easyfret 2
- Fmaj71/20easyopen
- Gm71/18easyfret 3· shell
- Am71/15easyopen
Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.
Iconic progressions in B♭ 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 B♭ 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 B♭ 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.
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.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.