A Lydian scale on guitar

The A Lydian scale has 7 notes: A B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ (A, B, C sharp, D sharp, E, F sharp, and G sharp). The diagrams work the same for acoustic and electric guitar.

A 1
B 2
C♯ C sharp 3
D♯ D sharp ♯4
E 5
F♯ F sharp 6
G♯ G sharp 7

BPM

Rhythm Metronome

A Lydian scale on guitar: the whole fretboard with the notes A, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, from fret 0 to 15

Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (A) is highlighted.

Positions as text

Position 5 (frets 0 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: open (E), 2 (F♯), 4 (G♯)
string 5: open (A), 2 (B), 4 (C♯)
string 4: 1 (D♯), 2 (E), 4 (F♯)
string 3: 1 (G♯), 2 (A), 4 (B)
string 2: 2 (C♯), 4 (D♯), 5 (E)
string 1: 2 (F♯), 4 (G♯), 5 (A)

Position 6 (frets 2 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 2 (F♯), 4 (G♯), 5 (A)
string 5: 2 (B), 4 (C♯), 6 (D♯)
string 4: 2 (E), 4 (F♯), 6 (G♯)
string 3: 2 (A), 4 (B), 6 (C♯)
string 2: 4 (D♯), 5 (E), 7 (F♯)
string 1: 4 (G♯), 5 (A), 7 (B)

Position 7 (frets 4 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 4 (G♯), 5 (A), 7 (B)
string 5: 4 (C♯), 6 (D♯), 7 (E)
string 4: 4 (F♯), 6 (G♯), 7 (A)
string 3: 4 (B), 6 (C♯), 8 (D♯)
string 2: 5 (E), 7 (F♯), 9 (G♯)
string 1: 5 (A), 7 (B), 9 (C♯)

Position 1 (frets 5 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 5 (A), 7 (B), 9 (C♯)
string 5: 6 (D♯), 7 (E), 9 (F♯)
string 4: 6 (G♯), 7 (A), 9 (B)
string 3: 6 (C♯), 8 (D♯), 9 (E)
string 2: 7 (F♯), 9 (G♯), 10 (A)
string 1: 7 (B), 9 (C♯), 11 (D♯)

Position 2 (frets 7 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 7 (B), 9 (C♯), 11 (D♯)
string 5: 7 (E), 9 (F♯), 11 (G♯)
string 4: 7 (A), 9 (B), 11 (C♯)
string 3: 8 (D♯), 9 (E), 11 (F♯)
string 2: 9 (G♯), 10 (A), 12 (B)
string 1: 9 (C♯), 11 (D♯), 12 (E)

Position 3 (frets 9 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 9 (C♯), 11 (D♯), 12 (E)
string 5: 9 (F♯), 11 (G♯), 12 (A)
string 4: 9 (B), 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯)
string 3: 9 (E), 11 (F♯), 13 (G♯)
string 2: 10 (A), 12 (B), 14 (C♯)
string 1: 11 (D♯), 12 (E), 14 (F♯)

Position 4 (frets 11 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 11 (D♯), 12 (E), 14 (F♯)
string 5: 11 (G♯), 12 (A), 14 (B)
string 4: 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯), 14 (E)
string 3: 11 (F♯), 13 (G♯), 14 (A)
string 2: 12 (B), 14 (C♯)
string 1: 11 (D♯), 12 (E), 14 (F♯)

Fretboard positions

On the neck, the scale splits into positions of 3 notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root (A) 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	A7M
II	B	B7
IIIm	C♯m	C♯m7
IV°	D♯°	D♯m7(b5)
V	E	E7M
VIm	F♯m	F♯m7
VIIm	G♯m	G♯m7

Arpeggios of these chords on guitar

Scales with the same notes

More A scales

Lydian in other keys

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the A Lydian scale?

The notes of the A Lydian scale are A, B, C sharp, D sharp, E, F sharp, and G sharp. The root, degree 1, is A.

What is the formula of the A 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 Lydian scale on guitar?

On the neck, the scale splits into positions of 3 notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root (A) on the lowest string; the others start on the following notes. There are 7 positions on guitar, each with the full fingering.

Which chords belong to the A Lydian scale?

The chords of the harmonized scale are: A, B, C♯m, D♯°, E, F♯m, G♯m.

On other instruments

All scales on guitar