A flat Lydian scale on bass
The A flat Lydian scale has 7 notes: A♭ B♭ C D E♭ F G (A flat, B flat, C, D, E flat, F, and G).
- A♭ A flat 1
- B♭ B flat 2
- C 3
- D ♯4
- E♭ E flat 5
- F 6
- G 7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (A♭) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 6 (frets 1 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 1 (F), 3 (G), 4 (A♭)
- string 3: 1 (B♭), 3 (C), 5 (D)
- string 2: 1 (E♭), 3 (F), 5 (G)
- string 1: 1 (A♭), 3 (B♭), 5 (C)
Position 7 (frets 3 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 3 (G), 4 (A♭), 6 (B♭)
- string 3: 3 (C), 5 (D), 6 (E♭)
- string 2: 3 (F), 5 (G), 6 (A♭)
- string 1: 3 (B♭), 5 (C), 7 (D)
Position 1 (frets 4 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 4 (A♭), 6 (B♭), 8 (C)
- string 3: 5 (D), 6 (E♭), 8 (F)
- string 2: 5 (G), 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭)
- string 1: 5 (C), 7 (D), 8 (E♭)
Position 2 (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 6 (B♭), 8 (C), 10 (D)
- string 3: 6 (E♭), 8 (F), 10 (G)
- string 2: 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
- string 1: 7 (D), 8 (E♭), 10 (F)
Position 3 (frets 8 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 8 (C), 10 (D), 11 (E♭)
- string 3: 8 (F), 10 (G), 11 (A♭)
- string 2: 8 (B♭), 10 (C), 12 (D)
- string 1: 8 (E♭), 10 (F), 12 (G)
Position 4 (frets 10 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 10 (D), 11 (E♭), 13 (F)
- string 3: 10 (G), 11 (A♭), 13 (B♭)
- string 2: 10 (C), 12 (D), 13 (E♭)
- string 1: 10 (F), 12 (G), 13 (A♭)
Position 5 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 11 (E♭), 13 (F), 15 (G)
- string 3: 11 (A♭), 13 (B♭), 15 (C)
- string 2: 12 (D), 13 (E♭), 15 (F)
- string 1: 12 (G), 13 (A♭), 15 (B♭)
Fretboard positions
On the neck, the scale splits into positions of 3 notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root (A flat) on the lowest string; the others start on the following notes.
Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.
Formula
- A♭
- W
- B♭
- W
- C
- W
- D
- H
- E♭
- W
- F
- W
- G
- H
- A♭
Degrees: 1 · 2 · 3 · ♯4 · 5 · 6 · 7. Steps: W – W – W – H – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).
About the Lydian scale
A major mode with a raised 4th. Dreamy and "floating", common in film scores.
Harmonized scale (chords in the key)
The chords that come from the scale, stacking thirds from each note.
| Degree | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| I | A♭ | A♭7M |
| II | B♭ | B♭7 |
| IIIm | Cm | Cm7 |
| IV° | D° | Dm7(b5) |
| V | E♭ | E♭7M |
| VIm | Fm | Fm7 |
| VIIm | Gm | Gm7 |
Arpeggios of these chords on bass
Scales with the same notes
More A flat scales
- Major
- Natural minor (G♯)
- Harmonic minor
- Melodic minor
- Major pentatonic
- Minor pentatonic (G♯)
- Blues (G♯)
- Major blues
- Dorian
- Phrygian (G♯)
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Locrian (G♯)
- Nordestina (Brazilian baião)
- Phrygian dominant (G♯)
- Whole-tone
- Diminished (whole-half) (G♯)
- Dominant diminished (half-whole)
Lydian in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the A flat Lydian scale?
The notes of the A flat Lydian scale are A flat, B flat, C, D, E flat, F, and G. The root, degree 1, is A flat.
What is the formula of the A flat Lydian scale?
In degrees: 1 · 2 · 3 · ♯4 · 5 · 6 · 7. In steps between the notes: W – W – W – H – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do you play the A flat Lydian scale on bass?
On the neck, the scale splits into positions of 3 notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root (A flat) on the lowest string; the others start on the following notes. There are 7 positions on bass, each with the full fingering.
Which chords belong to the A flat Lydian scale?
The chords of the harmonized scale are: A♭, B♭, Cm, D°, E♭, Fm, Gm.