A Lydian Scale on Guitar — 2 Shapes to Play the Whole Neck
A Lydian is one of the seven modes of the major scale — on guitar its notes are A B C# D# E F# G#, built from the formula 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7. Computed live for this exact root and scale, Fretprism finds 2 repeating shapes — the small pattern set you actually need to play it across the whole neck.
A Lydian Scale Notes
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | 1 |
| 2 | B | 2 |
| 3 | C# | 3 |
| 4 | D# | #4 |
| 5 | E | 5 |
| 6 | F# | 6 |
| 7 | G# | 7 |
A Lydian Formula
Degree formula: 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7
Whole – Whole – Whole – Half – Whole – Whole – Half
A Lydian on the Guitar Fretboard
The notes of Lydian repeat across the guitar fretboard in connected positions. Use the shape below to identify root notes, scale degrees, and neighboring shapes.
- Frets 2–7 (span 5 frets)
- Lowest note A, highest note G#
- 2 A root notes, on the E string (fret 5), G string (fret 2)
How to practice this shape
- Start on the root — A at fret 5 on the E string. Play up to the highest note in the shape, then back down, staying inside frets 2–7.
- Your hand shifts 2 times as you cross strings: E→A (-1), D→G (-2). Those crossings — not the notes — are what this position is really asking you to learn.
- Once it feels automatic, move on to the next of the 2 shapes — together they cover the whole neck, and the same pattern repeats from there.
What Gives A Lydian Its Sound?
The characteristic sound of A Lydian comes from its augmented 4th.
Diatonic chords
These are the 7 chords built from A Lydian's own notes — the ones that will sound like they belong when you're writing a progression, backing a melody, or jamming in this key. The Roman numeral shows each chord's role in the key: capital for major, lowercase for minor, ° for diminished, + for augmented. Not every scale produces a clean chord on every degree — where that happens, we show it honestly instead of forcing a name that doesn't fit.
A Lydian Scale Relationships
- Parent scale: E Major (Ionian)
A Lydian FAQ
A Lydian contains the notes A, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#.
A Lydian is a mode of E Major (Ionian).
A Lydian has a natural (major) 3rd degree, giving it a major character. It's derived from E Major (Ionian).
The diatonic chords in A Lydian are A, B, C#m, D#dim, E, F#m, G#m.