E Lydian mode
E Lydian mode is E – F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯ – D♯, with F♯, G♯, A♯, C♯ and D♯. Formula 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7. Press play and follow the keys.
E Lydian mode, note by note
Counted in steps it goes W W W H W W H (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between A♯–B and D♯–E.
| Degree | Note | Interval from E | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | root | |
| 2 | F♯ | major second | |
| 3 | G♯ | major third | |
| ♯4 | A♯ | tritone | |
| 5 | B | perfect fifth | |
| 6 | C♯ | major sixth | |
| 7 | D♯ | major seventh |
How the Lydian mode sounds
Lydian is a major mode with a raised 4th. The A♯ gives it a floating, dreamy lift that film composers use for wonder and flight.
Over a E chord, let A♯ ring: it's the raised 4th, and it's what makes the mode shimmer.
Compared with E major scale, E Lydian mode has A♯ where the other has A; the other six notes are shared. Hear E major scale and compare.
E Lydian mode uses the same seven notes as B major, starting from E instead of B. Same notes, different home note: what makes it Lydian is playing it over a E bass or chord.
On piano and on guitar
Keyboard players: five black (F♯, G♯, A♯, C♯ and D♯), two white.
On guitar the root sits open on the low E string. The box above covers frets 0–5 and holds 18 notes of the scale across all six strings; play it 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 E Lydian mode; the ones that differ from the B major set are what give the mode its color. Tap to hear each one.
E Lydian mode shares all its notes with C♯ Dorian (starting on the 6th note, C♯), D♯ Phrygian (starting on the 7th note, D♯), F♯ Mixolydian (starting on the 2nd note, F♯), G♯ natural minor (starting on the 3rd note, G♯), A♯ Locrian (starting on the 4th note, A♯) and B major (starting on the 5th note, B). Which one you hear depends on which note the music treats as home.
Moving it around the guitar
Find E first: fret 0 and 12 of the 6th string, fret 7 of the 5th (0 means open). Five overlapping fingerings cover the neck, starting near frets 2, 5, 7, 9 and 12 on the low E string. Hold a major chord and lean on the ♯4 to hear why film composers reach for it.
On the piano, E Lydian mode uses 5 black keys (F♯, G♯, A♯, C♯ and D♯) and 2 white.
Thirds make the scale sound musical instead of step-by-step: E–G♯, F♯–A♯, G♯–B, A♯–C♯, B–D♯, C♯–E, D♯–F♯.
Practice patterns for E Lydian mode
Once E Lydian is comfortable up and down, break the order. Each pattern below uses only its 7 notes.
- Up in threes: E F♯ G♯ · F♯ G♯ A♯ · G♯ A♯ B · A♯ B C♯ · B C♯ D♯ · C♯ D♯ E.
- Target A♯: E A♯ E A♯ E: the ♯4 floats where major has a plain 4th.
Try next, from E
Lydian mode in every key
E Lydian mode: questions
What are the notes of the E Lydian mode?
E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C♯ and D♯, then E again at the octave. Formula: 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7.
How many sharps or flats are in the E Lydian mode?
Five: F♯, G♯, A♯, C♯ and D♯.
What chords are in the E Lydian mode?
Stacking thirds on each note gives E (I), F♯ (II), G♯m (iii), A♯dim (iv°), B (V), C♯m (vi) and D♯m (vii).
What's the difference between E Lydian mode and E major scale?
A♯ in E Lydian; A in the other. Everything else is the same.
Which major scale has the same notes as E Lydian mode?
B major. E Lydian is B major played from its 4th note, E.
Every note on this page is computed from 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 and tested. Updated September 2026.