Lydian Augmented scale on guitar

Lydian augmented raises both the fourth and the fifth of the major scale, a bright, unsettled jazz sound.

Play the A Lydian Augmented scale on the fretboard in Guitar Upscale

About the Lydian Augmented scale

It is the third mode of melodic minor. Next to Lydian it also raises the 5th, so the root chord is augmented.

Jazz players use it over a major 7th chord with a raised 5th (maj7#5). The raised 4th and raised 5th sit next to each other and give a shimmering sound.

Play the root, 3rd and raised 5th as an arpeggio first. Then fill in the other notes.

Intervals from the root

Chords in the A Lydian Augmented scale

Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each note. These chords sound at home with the scale, so they make good progressions.

Same notes, another starting note

Start the A Lydian Augmented scale on another of its notes and you get these scales:

• From degree 2 (B): B Overtone scale
• From degree 3 (C#): Db Hindu scale
• From degree #4 (D#): Eb Locrian #2 scale
• From degree #5 (E#): F Diminished Whole Tone scale
• From degree 6 (F#): F# Melodic Minor scale
• From degree 7 (G#): G# Javanese scale

Lydian Augmented scale in every key

More Major scales

• Major Scale (Ionian)
• Harmonic Major
• Major Pentatonic
• Dominant Pentatonic
• Lydian Mode
• Mixolydian Mode
• Lydian + b2