B♭ Lydian mode on guitar
The B♭ Lydian mode has seven notes: B♭, C, D, E, F, G and A (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 | B♭ | C | D | E | F | G | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 B♭ Lydian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; B♭ (B♭) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (B♭) | B♭home | B♭maj7home |
| 2 (C) | Cthe lift | C7the lift |
| 3 (D) | Dmhalf-light | Dm7half-light |
| ♯4 (E) | Edimthe edge | Em7♭5the edge |
| 5 (F) | Fthe pull | Fmaj7the pull |
| 6 (G) | Gmthe shadow | Gm7the shadow |
| 7 (A) | Amcolour | Am7colour |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the F major scale, started from its fourth note, B♭.
Questions
What notes are in the B♭ Lydian mode?
B♭, C, D, E, F, G and A. 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 B♭ Lydian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: B♭, C, Dm, Edim, F, Gm and Am, and as seventh chords B♭maj7, C7, Dm7, Em7♭5, Fmaj7, Gm7 and Am7. B♭ is home: B♭ is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Lydian mode in every key
Other scales in B♭
B♭ majorB♭ minorB♭ minor pentatonicB♭ major pentatonicB♭ bluesB♭ DorianB♭ MixolydianB♭ PhrygianB♭ harmonic minorB♭ melodic minorB♭ 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.