D Lydian mode
D Lydian mode is D – E – F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C♯, with F♯, G♯ and C♯. Formula 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7. Play it, then slow the tempo until every note is clear.
The notes, one step at a time
The step pattern is W W W H W W H (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between G♯–A and C♯–D.
| Degree | Note | Interval from D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | root | |
| 2 | E | major second | |
| 3 | F♯ | major third | |
| ♯4 | G♯ | tritone | |
| 5 | A | perfect fifth | |
| 6 | B | major sixth | |
| 7 | C♯ | major seventh |
What D Lydian sounds like
D Lydian is D major with the 4th sharpened to G♯. It sounds major but never quite settles, which is exactly why people reach for it.
The Lydian color comes from E, a major chord on the 2nd degree; D to E and back is the classic floating vamp.
Compared with D major scale, D Lydian mode has G♯ where the other has G; the other six notes are shared. Hear D major scale and compare.
D Lydian mode uses the same seven notes as A major, starting from D instead of A. Same notes, different home note: what makes it Lydian is playing it over a D bass or chord.
Playing D Lydian
Keyboard players: three black (F♯, G♯ and C♯), four white.
The guitar box starts with the root at the 10th fret of the low E string and spans frets 8–14: 18 notes, low string to high.
Chords built on each note
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get 7 chords. These are the chords that fit D Lydian mode; the ones that differ from the A major set are what give the mode its color. Tap to hear each one.
Same notes, different home: C♯ Phrygian (starting on the 7th note, C♯), E Mixolydian (starting on the 2nd note, E), F♯ natural minor (starting on the 3rd note, F♯), G♯ Locrian (starting on the 4th note, G♯), A major (starting on the 5th note, A) and B Dorian (starting on the 6th note, B). Play any of them over a drone on its first note and the mood changes, even though the keys you press don't.
D Lydian mode across the fretboard
The root, D, sits at fret 10 on the low E string and 5 on the A string. Work up the neck in five positions (low E string frets 3, 5, 7, 10 and 12) and you'll have it everywhere. Hold a major chord and lean on the ♯4 to hear why film composers reach for it.
On the piano, D Lydian mode uses 3 black keys (F♯, G♯ and C♯) and 4 white.
A good drill once the scale is under your fingers: play it in thirds, skipping one note each time. Here that's D–F♯, E–G♯, F♯–A, G♯–B, A–C♯, B–D, C♯–E.
Drills for D Lydian
Once D Lydian is comfortable up and down, break the order. Each pattern below uses only its 7 notes.
- Three-note runs: D E F♯ · E F♯ G♯ · F♯ G♯ A · G♯ A B · A B C♯ · B C♯ D.
- Land on G♯: D G♯ D G♯ D: the ♯4 floats where major has a plain 4th.
Close relatives of D Lydian mode
Lydian mode in every key
D Lydian mode: questions
What are the notes of the D Lydian mode?
D, E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D. As degrees: 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7.
How many sharps or flats are in the D Lydian mode?
Three: F♯, G♯ and C♯.
What chords are in the D Lydian mode?
Stacking thirds on each note gives D (I), E (II), F♯m (iii), G♯dim (iv°), A (V), Bm (vi) and C♯m (vii).
What's the difference between D Lydian mode and D major scale?
G♯ in D Lydian; G in the other. Everything else is the same.
Which major scale has the same notes as D Lydian mode?
A major. D Lydian is A major played from its 4th note, D.
Notes and fingering generated from the scale formula and checked automatically against the step pattern. Updated September 2026.