Guitar scale · Lydian mode
C# Lydian Scale
Major scale with a ♯4 degree, creating dreamlike, mystical, celestial, and heroic lead lines.
Tap any note to hear it.
C# Lydian 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|------------------------------------------9-11-13-| B|------------------------------------11-13---------| G|---------------------------10-12-13---------------| D|------------------10-11-13------------------------| A|---------10-11-13---------------------------------| E|-9-11-13------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------11-13-15-| B|-------------------------------------13-14----------| G|----------------------------12-13-15----------------| D|-------------------11-13-15-------------------------| A|----------11-13-15----------------------------------| E|-11-13-15-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------13-15-16-| B|-------------------------------------14-16----------| G|----------------------------13-15-17----------------| D|-------------------13-15-17-------------------------| A|----------13-15-16----------------------------------| E|-13-15-16-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------16-18-20-| B|-------------------------------------18-20----------| G|----------------------------17-18-20----------------| D|-------------------17-18-20-------------------------| A|----------16-18-20----------------------------------| E|-16-18-20-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------18-20-21-| B|-------------------------------------20-21----------| G|----------------------------18-20-22----------------| D|-------------------18-20-22-------------------------| A|----------18-20-22----------------------------------| E|-18-20-21-------------------------------------------|
How to play C# Lydian 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 uses exactly the same notes as G# major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. On the guitar those are the same frets as Ab major, the name it is listed under here. See the Ab Major Scale.
C# Lydian is also written Db Lydian: Db Eb F 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
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in C# Lydian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | C# | C#maj7 | Tonic |
| II | D# | D#7 | Supertonic |
| iii | E#m | E#m7 | Mediant |
| ♯iv° | Gdim | Gm7b5 | Subdominant |
| V | G# | G#maj7 | Dominant |
| vi | A#m | A#m7 | Submediant |
| vii | B#m | B#m7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise C# Lydian 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 Scale?
- The C# Lydian Scale has 7 notes: C#, D#, E#, G, G#, A#, B#.
- What chords are in the C# Lydian Scale?
- The chords of C# Lydian are C# (I), D# (II), E#m (iii), Gdim (♯iv°), G# (V), A#m (vi), B#m (vii).
- What is the formula of the lydian scale?
- 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7, which is the step pattern W W W H W W H (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play C# Lydian 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.