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Lydian scale
How to play the lydian scale
Lydian is the major scale started on its 4th note. Play every white key from F up to the next F and you have F lydian.
To play it from any other note, keep the formula: 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7. Compared with the major scale, each ♭ is one key lower and each ♯ one key higher.
Practice it slowly with each hand, then hold the bottom note in the left hand while the right hand plays the scale: that drone is the quickest way to hear the character of a mode.
Lydian scale in all 12 keys
| Key | Notes |
|---|---|
| C lydian | C D E F♯ G A B C |
| D♭ lydian | D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ |
| D lydian | D E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D |
| E♭ lydian | E♭ F G A B♭ C D E♭ |
| E lydian | E F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E |
| F lydian | F G A B C D E F |
| F♯ lydian | F♯ G♯ A♯ B♯ C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ |
| G lydian | G A B C♯ D E F♯ G |
| A♭ lydian | A♭ B♭ C D E♭ F G A♭ |
| A lydian | A B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A |
| B♭ lydian | B♭ C D E F G A B♭ |
| B lydian | B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B |