Lydian scale · 7 notes
E♭ Lydian scale on guitar
The E♭ Lydian scale (E flat Lydian scale) has 7 notes: E♭, F, G, A, B♭, C and D. A major scale with a ♯4: dreamy, floating and cinematic. You may also see it written as D♯ Lydian, but E♭ is the usual spelling because it needs fewer accidentals.
Notes
- E♭
- F
- G
- A
- B♭
- C
- D
Formula
1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7
Steps
W – W – W – H – W – W – H
Sound
Dreamy, bright and weightless
E♭ Lydian on the whole fretboard
Every E♭ Lydian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, E♭, 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
E♭ at fret 11. 10th position: frets 10–14.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of E♭ Lydian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from E♭, the E♭ Lydian scale is built from these intervals. It contains 2 flats (E♭ and B♭). Compared with E♭ major, it has A (♯4) instead of A♭.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E♭ | root | 0 |
| 2 | F | major 2nd | 2 |
| 3 | G | major 3rd | 4 |
| ♯4 | A | augmented 4th | 6 |
| 5 | B♭ | perfect 5th | 7 |
| 6 | C | major 6th | 9 |
| 7 | D | major 7th | 11 |
Chords in E♭ Lydian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to E♭ Lydian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in E♭ Lydian.
- IE♭E♭ · G · B♭E♭maj7
- IIFF · A · CF7
- iiiGmG · B♭ · DGm7
- ♯iv°A°A · C · E♭Am7♭5
- VB♭B♭ · D · FB♭maj7
- viCmC · E♭ · GCm7
- viiDmD · F · ADm7
Progressions to try
- E♭ – F I–II · the Lydian lift
- E♭ – F – Dm – E♭ I–II–vii–I
- E♭ – B♭ – F I–V–II
How to use E♭ 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.
- E♭ Lydian contains exactly the notes of B♭ major, played from its fourth note, E♭. See B♭ major.
Where to find E♭ on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every E♭ between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with E♭ |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 11 |
| B (2nd) | 4 |
| G (3rd) | 8 |
| D (4th) | 1 |
| A (5th) | 6 |
| Low E (6th) | 11 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as E♭ Lydian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
E♭ Lydian scale FAQ
What notes are in the E♭ Lydian scale?
The E♭ Lydian scale has 7 notes: E♭, F, G, A, B♭, C and D. Its formula is 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7. It contains 2 flats (E♭ and B♭).
What chords are in E♭ Lydian?
Harmonising the E♭ Lydian scale in thirds gives E♭ (I), F (II), Gm (iii), A° (♯iv°), B♭ (V), Cm (vi) and Dm (vii).
Where do you play the E♭ Lydian scale on guitar?
The root, E♭, is at fret 11 on the low E string and fret 6 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 10–14, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as E♭ Lydian?
E♭ Lydian contains exactly the notes of B♭ major, played from its fourth note, E♭.