Ab Lydian
A flat Lydian scale for guitar.
The Ab Lydian is a seven-note scale, it is also called a mode. Colored circles in the diagram mark the notes in the scale (darker color highlighting the root notes). In the fretboard pattern, the first root note is on the 6th string, 4th fret.
Ab Lydian 2 octaves
Ab Lydian full fretboard
Ab Lydian note names
The scale displayed with its numeric formula, notes, intervals and scale degrees.
| Formula | Notes | Intervals | Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ab | Unison | Tonic |
| 2 | Bb | Major second | Supertonic |
| 3 | C | Major third | Mediant |
| #4 | D | Augmented fourth | Subdominant |
| 5 | Eb | Perfect fifth | Dominant |
| 6 | F | Sixth | Submediant |
| 7 | G | Major seventh | Leading tone |
The A flat Lydian scale consists of seven notes. These can be described as steps on the guitar fingerboard according to the following formula: whole, whole, whole, half, whole, whole, half from the first note to the same in the next octave.
The Ab Lydian is a mode of the Eb Major Scale. It contains exactly the same notes, but starts on another note.
The Ab Lydian is the same as the Ab Major apart from one note, the fourth in the scale.
This scale is used in many styles including jazz and are also popular in film scores. The #4 creates additional brightness to the Major sound.
One way to learn this scale is to think about it as a Major scale with a raised fourth (D instead of Db in case of Ab Lydian).
Chords that are related to this scale are the following:
| Ab, Abmaj7, Ab6, Ab6/9, Abmaj9, Abmaj13 |
| Bb, Bb7, Bb6, Bb6/9, Bb9, Bb11, Bb13 |
| Cm, Cm7, Cm9, Cm11 |
| Ddim, Dm7b5 |
| Eb, Ebmaj7, Eb6, Eb6/9, Ebmaj9, Ebmaj13 |
| Fm, Fm7, Fm6, Fm9, Fm11 |
| Gm, Gm7 |
The tones in these chords correspond to the tones of the Ab Lydian scale.
Related to this scale are Lydian #2, Lydian #5 and Lydian b7, being the 6th mode of the Harmonic Minor and the 3rd and 4th modes of the Melodic Minor.
The Ab Lydian #2 scale is identical with the Ab Lydian except for the augmented second. It can be displayed as follows:
| Formula | Notes | Intervals | Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ab | Unison | Tonic |
| #2 | B | Augmented second | Supertonic |
| 3 | C | Major third | Mediant |
| #4 | D | Augmented fourth | Subdominant |
| 5 | Eb | Perfect fifth | Dominant |
| 6 | F | Sixth | Submediant |
| 7 | G | Major seventh | Subtonic |
The Ab Lydian #2 contains the same notes as the C Harmonic Minor Scale, but starts on another note.
The Ab Lydian #5 scale is identical with the Ab Lydian except for the augmented fifth. It can be displayed as follows:
| Formula | Notes | Intervals | Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ab | Unison | Tonic |
| 2 | Bb | Major second | Supertonic |
| 3 | C | Major third | Mediant |
| #4 | D | Augmented fourth | Subdominant |
| #5 | E | Augmented fifth | Dominant |
| 6 | F | Sixth | Submediant |
| 7 | G | Major seventh | Subtonic |
The Ab Lydian #5 contains the same notes as the F Melodic Minor Scale, but starts on another note.
The Ab Lydian b7 scale, also known as A Lydian Dominant scale, is identical with the A Lydian except for the augmented fifth. It can be displayed as follows:
| Formula | Notes | Intervals | Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ab | Unison | Tonic |
| 2 | Bb | Major second | Supertonic |
| 3 | C | Major third | Mediant |
| #4 | D | Augmented fourth | Subdominant |
| 5 | Eb | Perfect fifth | Dominant |
| 6 | F | Sixth | Submediant |
| b7 | Gb | Minor seventh | Subtonic |
The Ab Lydian b7 contains the same notes as the Eb Melodic Minor Scale, but starts on another note.
Start the audio and play along with your guitar! Use notes from the scale in the diagram above.
Normal tempo:Go to Jam Tracks section for more guitar jam tracks!