Lydian scale · 7 notes
G♭ Lydian scale on guitar
The G♭ Lydian scale (G flat Lydian scale) has 7 notes: G♭, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭ and F. A major scale with a ♯4: dreamy, floating and cinematic. You may also see it written as F♯ Lydian, but G♭ is the usual spelling because it needs fewer accidentals.
Notes
- G♭
- A♭
- B♭
- C
- D♭
- E♭
- F
Formula
1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7
Steps
W – W – W – H – W – W – H
Sound
Dreamy, bright and weightless
G♭ Lydian on the whole fretboard
Every G♭ Lydian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, G♭, 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
G♭ at fret 2. 1st position: frets 1–5.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of G♭ Lydian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from G♭, the G♭ Lydian scale is built from these intervals. It contains 5 flats (G♭, A♭, B♭, D♭ and E♭). Compared with F♯ major, it has C (♯4) instead of B.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G♭ | root | 0 |
| 2 | A♭ | major 2nd | 2 |
| 3 | B♭ | major 3rd | 4 |
| ♯4 | C | augmented 4th | 6 |
| 5 | D♭ | perfect 5th | 7 |
| 6 | E♭ | major 6th | 9 |
| 7 | F | major 7th | 11 |
Chords in G♭ Lydian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to G♭ Lydian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in G♭ Lydian.
- IG♭G♭ · B♭ · D♭G♭maj7
- IIA♭A♭ · C · E♭A♭7
- iiiB♭mB♭ · D♭ · FB♭m7
- ♯iv°C°C · E♭ · G♭Cm7♭5
- VD♭D♭ · F · A♭D♭maj7
- viE♭mE♭ · G♭ · B♭E♭m7
- viiFmF · A♭ · CFm7
Progressions to try
- G♭ – A♭ I–II · the Lydian lift
- G♭ – A♭ – Fm – G♭ I–II–vii–I
- G♭ – D♭ – A♭ I–V–II
How to use G♭ 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.
- G♭ Lydian contains exactly the notes of D♭ major, played from its fourth note, G♭. See D♭ major.
Where to find G♭ on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every G♭ between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with G♭ |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 2 |
| B (2nd) | 7 |
| G (3rd) | 11 |
| D (4th) | 4 |
| A (5th) | 9 |
| Low E (6th) | 2 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as G♭ Lydian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
G♭ Lydian scale FAQ
What notes are in the G♭ Lydian scale?
The G♭ Lydian scale has 7 notes: G♭, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭ and F. Its formula is 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7. It contains 5 flats (G♭, A♭, B♭, D♭ and E♭).
What chords are in G♭ Lydian?
Harmonising the G♭ Lydian scale in thirds gives G♭ (I), A♭ (II), B♭m (iii), C° (♯iv°), D♭ (V), E♭m (vi) and Fm (vii).
Where do you play the G♭ Lydian scale on guitar?
The root, G♭, is at fret 2 on the low E string and fret 9 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 1–5, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as G♭ Lydian?
G♭ Lydian contains exactly the notes of D♭ major, played from its fourth note, G♭.