GuitarManac

D Lydian scale

Notes in the scaleTap one to hear it and find it on the neck

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. ♯4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
Key
CD♭DE♭EFF♯GA♭AB♭B
Scale

Every D Lydian note on the neck.

3579121517EF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEG♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABDEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯A
D Lydian scale guide

The D Lydian scale

Lydian is a major scale with a sharp 4th. It sounds bright and floating, and it shows up a lot in film music and dreamy rock.

It uses the same notes as A major, starting from D instead of A.

Notes
D E F♯ G♯ A B C♯
Formula
1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7
Steps
W W W H W W H
W is two frets, H is one fret

D Lydian scale positions

Two common ways to split the neck into positions. CAGED gives five shapes, each built around a chord shape you may already know. Three notes per string gives seven patterns that are faster to play.

CAGED shapes

Five shapes named after the chord shape each one is built around.

  1. 3579121517G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯AB

    E shape

    Frets 4 to 7. Starts on G♯, the ♯4, on the lowest string. The E shape of A major, the parent scale.
  2. 3579121517BC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯D

    D shape

    Frets 6 to 10. Starts on B, the 6, on the lowest string. The D shape of A major, the parent scale.
  3. 3579121517C♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DE

    C shape

    Frets 9 to 12. Starts on C♯, the 7, on the lowest string. The C shape of A major, the parent scale.
  4. 3579121517EF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯

    A shape

    Frets 11 to 15. Starts on E, the 2, on the lowest string. The A shape of A major, the parent scale.
  5. 3579121517F♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯A

    G shape

    Frets 13 to 17. Starts on F♯, the 3, on the lowest string. The G shape of A major, the parent scale.

Three notes per string

Seven patterns. Pattern 1 starts on the root on the lowest string.

  1. 3579121517DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯

    Position 1

    Frets 10 to 16. Starts on D, the root, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  2. 3579121517EF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯A

    Position 2

    Open strings to fret 5. Starts on E, the 2, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  3. 3579121517F♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯AB

    Position 3

    Frets 2 to 7. Starts on F♯, the 3, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  4. 3579121517G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯

    Position 4

    Frets 4 to 9. Starts on G♯, the ♯4, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  5. 3579121517ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯D

    Position 5

    Frets 5 to 10. Starts on A, the 5, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  6. 3579121517BC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DE

    Position 6

    Frets 7 to 12. Starts on B, the 6, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  7. 3579121517C♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯

    Position 7

    Frets 9 to 14. Starts on C♯, the 7, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.

Chords in D Lydian

Built from the notes of the scale, so the D Lydian scale works over all of them.