A Lydian mode on guitar
The A Lydian mode has seven notes: A, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯ and G♯ (1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7). A major scale with a sharp 4th. Dreamy and floating rather than settled; play it over a maj7 or maj7♯11 chord, or a major chord moving to the major chord a tone above (C to D).
| Note | A | B | C♯ | D♯ | E | F♯ | G♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | 3 | ♯4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Step to the next | whole | whole | whole | half | whole | whole | half |
5 positions to learn it in
On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the A Lydian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; A (A) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (A) | Ahome | Amaj7home |
| 2 (B) | Bthe lift | B7the lift |
| 3 (C♯) | C♯mhalf-light | C♯m7half-light |
| ♯4 (D♯) | D♯dimthe edge | D♯m7♭5the edge |
| 5 (E) | Ethe pull | Emaj7the pull |
| 6 (F♯) | F♯mthe shadow | F♯m7the shadow |
| 7 (G♯) | G♯mcolour | G♯m7colour |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the E major scale, started from its fourth note, A.
Questions
What notes are in the A Lydian mode?
A, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯ and G♯. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7, and the steps between its notes are W W W H W W H (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the A Lydian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: A, B, C♯m, D♯dim, E, F♯m and G♯m, and as seventh chords Amaj7, B7, C♯m7, D♯m7♭5, Emaj7, F♯m7 and G♯m7. A is home: A is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Lydian mode in every key
Other scales in A
A majorA minorA minor pentatonicA major pentatonicA bluesA DorianA MixolydianA PhrygianA harmonic minorA melodic minorA Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.