Guitar scale reference
F Lydian scale on guitar: five CAGED positions
Lydian is a major mode with a raised 4th. The augmented fourth removes the ordinary major-scale pull from 4 to 3 and creates an open, suspended brightness over a major tonic.
What gives the scale its sound
Pair the major 3rd with the raised 4th to establish the sound. The major 7th still leads to the root, but ♯4 is the colour tone that distinguishes Lydian from major.
- Interval formula
- 1 · 2 · 3 · ♯4 · 5 · 6 · 7
- Notes in F
- F · G · A · B · C · D · E
F Lydian across the neck
The five views overlap. Root notes are highlighted; use interval labels first, then confirm the spelled notes above.
Position 1 · E shape · frets 0–4
Ascending and descending tab
e|----------------------------------------------0--1--3--1--0----------------------------------------------| B|-------------------------------------0--1--3-----------------3--1--0-------------------------------------| G|----------------------------0--2--4-----------------------------------4--2--0----------------------------| D|-------------------0--2--3-----------------------------------------------------3--2--0-------------------| A|----------0--2--3-----------------------------------------------------------------------3--2--0----------| E|-0--1--3-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3--1--0-|
Position 2 · D shape · frets 2–6
Ascending and descending tab
e|-------------------------------------------3--5--3-------------------------------------------| B|----------------------------------3--5--6-----------6--5--3----------------------------------| G|-------------------------2--4--5-----------------------------5--4--2-------------------------| D|----------------2--3--5-----------------------------------------------5--3--2----------------| A|-------2--3--5-----------------------------------------------------------------5--3--2-------| E|-3--5-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------5--3-|
Position 3 · C shape · frets 4–8
Ascending and descending tab
e|-------------------------------------------5--7--8--7--5-------------------------------------------| B|----------------------------------5--6--8-----------------8--6--5----------------------------------| G|-------------------------4--5--7-----------------------------------7--5--4-------------------------| D|-------------------5--7-----------------------------------------------------7--5-------------------| A|----------5--7--8-----------------------------------------------------------------8--7--5----------| E|-5--7--8-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------8--7--5-|
Position 4 · A shape · frets 7–11
Ascending and descending tab
e|-------------------------------------------7--8-10--8--7-------------------------------------------| B|-------------------------------------8-10----------------10--8-------------------------------------| G|----------------------------7--9-10----------------------------10--9--7----------------------------| D|-------------------7--9-10----------------------------------------------10--9--7-------------------| A|----------7--8-10----------------------------------------------------------------10--8--7----------| E|-7--8-10----------------------------------------------------------------------------------10--8--7-|
Position 5 · G shape · frets 9–13
Ascending and descending tab
e|------------------------------------------10-12-13-12-10-------------------------------------------| B|---------------------------------10-12-13----------------13-12-10----------------------------------| G|-------------------------9-10-12----------------------------------12-10--9-------------------------| D|----------------9-10-12----------------------------------------------------12-10--9----------------| A|---------10-12----------------------------------------------------------------------12-10----------| E|10-12-13----------------------------------------------------------------------------------13-12-10-|
Practice drill
Locate 3–♯4–5 in every position, then sustain the raised 4th before resolving either direction. Connect two shapes while keeping a major-triad tone as the landing point.
Use the guitar scale practice guide to turn the diagram into a recall, connection and phrasing routine.
If the interval formula or five-position layout is new, begin with the beginner guitar scale guide.
Open the scale randomiser