A flat Lydian mode on guitar

The Lydian mode is a major scale with a raised fourth. Its dreamy, floating color is loved in film music and by guitarists like Joe Satriani.

On the whole neck

EADGBEFGA♭B♭CDE♭B♭CDE♭FGA♭DE♭FGA♭B♭CDGA♭B♭CDE♭FGCDE♭FGA♭B♭FGA♭B♭CDE♭0123456789101112

Position from fret 3

EADGBEGA♭B♭CDE♭FGA♭B♭CDDE♭FGA♭B♭34567

Root notes are filled. The position groups the notes of the scale in one area of the neck, starting from the root on the 6th string.

Notes of the scale

DegreeNoteInterval
1A♭ (A flat)root
2B♭ (B flat)major second
3Cmajor third
4Daugmented fourth
5E♭ (E flat)perfect fifth
6Fmajor sixth
7Gmajor seventh

Steps between notes: W – W – W – H – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step)

This mode uses the same notes as the E flat major scale, starting from another degree.

Chords of the scale

Triads built on each degree:

  1. A♭I
  2. B♭II
  3. Cmiii
  4. Ddimiv°
  5. E♭V
  6. Fmvi
  7. Gmvii

Other A♭ scales

The same scale in other keys