Guitar scale · Lydian diminished
C# Lydian b3 Scale
Mode 4 of Harmonic Major: Lydian with a lowered 3rd, also called Lydian diminished.
Tap any note to hear it.
C# Lydian b3 Scale tab: all 5 positions
Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.
e|-----------------------------------------9-11-12-| B|-----------------------------------11-13---------| G|---------------------------9-12-13---------------| D|------------------10-11-13-----------------------| A|---------10-11-13--------------------------------| E|-9-11-12-----------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------11-12-15-| B|-------------------------------------13-14----------| G|----------------------------12-13-15----------------| D|-------------------11-13-14-------------------------| A|----------11-13-15----------------------------------| E|-11-12-15-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------15-16-| B|----------------------------------14-16-17-------| G|-------------------------13-15-17----------------| D|----------------13-14-17-------------------------| A|-------13-15-16----------------------------------| E|-15-16-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------16-18-20-| B|-------------------------------------17-20----------| G|----------------------------17-18-20----------------| D|-------------------17-18-20-------------------------| A|----------16-18-19----------------------------------| E|-16-18-20-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------18-20-21-| B|-------------------------------------20-21----------| G|----------------------------18-20-21----------------| D|-------------------18-20-22-------------------------| A|----------18-19-22----------------------------------| E|-18-20-21-------------------------------------------|
How to play C# Lydian b3 on guitar
Find the root first: C# is at fret 9 on the low E string and fret 4 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every C# on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (♭3, 5, 7), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.
Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 9–13. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.
C# Lydian b3 is also written Db Lydian b3: Db Eb Fb G Ab Bb C. The frets are the same; under that name every note keeps its own letter, with no double sharps or flats.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | C# |
| 2 | D# |
| ♭3 | E |
| ♯4 | G |
| 5 | G# |
| 6 | A# |
| 7 | B# |
Chords in C# Lydian b3
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in C# Lydian b3; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | C#m | C#m(maj7) | Tonic |
| II | D# | D#7 | Supertonic |
| ♭III+ | Eaug | Emaj7#5 | Mediant |
| ♯iv° | Gdim | Gdim7 | Subdominant |
| V | G# | G#maj7 | Dominant |
| vi° | A#dim | A#m7b5 | Submediant |
| vii | B#m | B#m7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise C# Lydian b3 anywhere, even offline.
This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.
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Questions
- What notes are in the C# Lydian b3 Scale?
- The C# Lydian b3 Scale has 7 notes: C#, D#, E, G, G#, A#, B#.
- What chords are in the C# Lydian b3 Scale?
- The chords of C# Lydian b3 are C#m (i), D# (II), Eaug (♭III+), Gdim (♯iv°), G# (V), A#dim (vi°), B#m (vii).
- What is the formula of the lydian b3 scale?
- 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6 7, which is the step pattern W H W+H H W W H (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play C# Lydian b3 on the guitar?
- The root C# is at fret 9 on the low E string and fret 4 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 9–13, and four more positions connect it up the neck.