D♭ Lydian mode on ukulele
The D♭ Lydian mode has seven notes: D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭ and C (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 | D♭ | E♭ | F | G | A♭ | B♭ | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | 3 | ♯4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Step to the next | whole | whole | whole | half | whole | whole | half |
2 positions to learn it in
Each stretch here is a few frets you can play without moving the hand: the open position, then from the root on the lowest string. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the D♭ Lydian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; D♭ (D♭) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (D♭) | D♭home | D♭maj7home |
| 2 (E♭) | E♭the lift | E♭7the lift |
| 3 (F) | Fmhalf-light | Fm7half-light |
| ♯4 (G) | Gdimthe edge | Gm7♭5the edge |
| 5 (A♭) | A♭the pull | A♭maj7the pull |
| 6 (B♭) | B♭mthe shadow | B♭m7the shadow |
| 7 (C) | Cmcolour | Cm7colour |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the A♭ major scale, started from its fourth note, D♭.
Questions
What notes are in the D♭ Lydian mode?
D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭ and C. 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 D♭ Lydian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: D♭, E♭, Fm, Gdim, A♭, B♭m and Cm, and as seventh chords D♭maj7, E♭7, Fm7, Gm7♭5, A♭maj7, B♭m7 and Cm7. D♭ is home: D♭ is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Lydian mode in every key
Other scales in D♭
D♭ majorC♯ minorC♯ minor pentatonicD♭ major pentatonicC♯ bluesC♯ DorianD♭ MixolydianC♯ PhrygianC♯ harmonic minorC♯ melodic minorD♭ Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: ukulele scales. This scale on guitar, bass, mandolin and banjo.