Lydian scale · 7 notes
B♭ Lydian scale on guitar
The B♭ Lydian scale (B flat Lydian scale) has 7 notes: B♭, C, D, E, F, G and A. A major scale with a ♯4: dreamy, floating and cinematic. You may also see it written as A♯ Lydian, but B♭ is the usual spelling because it needs fewer accidentals.
Notes
- B♭
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- A
Formula
1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7
Steps
W – W – W – H – W – W – H
Sound
Dreamy, bright and weightless
B♭ Lydian on the whole fretboard
Every B♭ Lydian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, B♭, is shown in red so you can always find home.
A shape to learn first
You don’t need the whole neck at once. This hand position is anchored on a root note on the 6th (low E) string, which is how most guitarists find a scale in any key.
Root on the 6th (low E) string
B♭ at fret 6. 5th position: frets 5–9.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of B♭ Lydian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from B♭, the B♭ Lydian scale is built from these intervals. It contains 1 flat (B♭). Compared with B♭ major, it has E (♯4) instead of E♭.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B♭ | root | 0 |
| 2 | C | major 2nd | 2 |
| 3 | D | major 3rd | 4 |
| ♯4 | E | augmented 4th | 6 |
| 5 | F | perfect 5th | 7 |
| 6 | G | major 6th | 9 |
| 7 | A | major 7th | 11 |
Chords in B♭ Lydian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to B♭ Lydian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in B♭ Lydian.
- IB♭B♭ · D · FB♭maj7
- IICC · E · GC7
- iiiDmD · F · ADm7
- ♯iv°E°E · G · B♭Em7♭5
- VFF · A · CFmaj7
- viGmG · B♭ · DGm7
- viiAmA · C · EAm7
Progressions to try
- B♭ – C I–II · the Lydian lift
- B♭ – C – Am – B♭ I–II–vii–I
- B♭ – F – C I–V–II
How to use B♭ Lydian
Reach for it over major 7th chords, film and game music, and progressions that move from I to a major II chord. Its sound is dreamy, bright and weightless.
Tip: Over a major chord, linger on the ♯4. It is the one note that separates Lydian from the plain major scale.
- B♭ Lydian contains exactly the notes of F major, played from its fourth note, B♭. See F major.
Where to find B♭ on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every B♭ between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with B♭ |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 6 |
| B (2nd) | 11 |
| G (3rd) | 3 |
| D (4th) | 8 |
| A (5th) | 1 |
| Low E (6th) | 6 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as B♭ Lydian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
B♭ Lydian scale FAQ
What notes are in the B♭ Lydian scale?
The B♭ Lydian scale has 7 notes: B♭, C, D, E, F, G and A. Its formula is 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7. It contains 1 flat (B♭).
What chords are in B♭ Lydian?
Harmonising the B♭ Lydian scale in thirds gives B♭ (I), C (II), Dm (iii), E° (♯iv°), F (V), Gm (vi) and Am (vii).
Where do you play the B♭ Lydian scale on guitar?
The root, B♭, is at fret 6 on the low E string and fret 1 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 5–9, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as B♭ Lydian?
B♭ Lydian contains exactly the notes of F major, played from its fourth note, B♭.