B 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

EADGBEEFGAB♭CDEAB♭CDEFGADEFGAB♭CDGAB♭CDEFGCDEFGAB♭EFGAB♭CDE0123456789101112

Position from fret 5

EADGBEAB♭CDEFGAB♭CDEEFGAB♭C56789

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
1B♭ (B flat)root
2Cmajor second
3Dmajor third
4Eaugmented fourth
5Fperfect fifth
6Gmajor sixth
7Amajor 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 F major scale, starting from another degree.

Chords of the scale

Triads built on each degree:

  1. B♭I
  2. CII
  3. Dmiii
  4. Edimiv°
  5. FV
  6. Gmvi
  7. Amvii

Other B♭ scales

The same scale in other keys