D Lydian and the Open D String
D Lydian is built from D, E, F#, G#, A, B and C#. The open D string supplies the root, so the raised 4th, G#, is the only fretted note that really changes the colour compared with D major.
For the box shapes the root sits at the 10th fret of the low E string and the 5th fret of the A string. The identical notes form A major, which is useful when a song sits on A and you want a brighter flavour. Explore practising scales in context to hear it over a chord.
Play the D lydian scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the D lydian scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | 1 | Root | 0 |
| E | 2 | Major 2nd | 2 |
| F# | 3 | Major 3rd | 4 |
| G# | #4 | Tritone | 6 |
| A | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| B | 6 | Major 6th | 9 |
| C# | 7 | Major 7th | 11 |
Structure
D lydian scale notes:
How the lydian scale is built:
The lydian scale is built from the degrees 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7, which gives the step pattern W-W-W-H-W-W-H (W = whole step, H = half step).
Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11. That makes it a 7-note scale.
It is mode 4 of the Major Scale, so both scales share the same notes from a different starting point.
D Lydian Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (D)
Box pattern — position 1
Box pattern — position 2
Box pattern — position 3
Box pattern — position 4
Box pattern — position 5
3 notes per string — position 1
3 notes per string — position 2
3 notes per string — position 3
3 notes per string — position 4
3 notes per string — position 5
Chords in the D lydian scale
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.
Related modes
These scales share the same notes as the lydian scale, starting from a different degree.
The lydian scale in other keys
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
