Guitar scale · 3rd mode of melodic minor
C# Lydian Augmented Scale
The third mode of melodic minor: a Lydian scale with a raised 5th, bright and floating, with no place to rest.
Tap any note to hear it.
C# Lydian Augmented Scale tab: all 5 positions
Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.
e|------------------------------------------9-11-13-| B|---------------------------------10-11-13---------| G|---------------------------10-12------------------| D|------------------10-11-13------------------------| A|---------10-12-13---------------------------------| E|-9-11-13------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------11-13-15-| B|-------------------------------------13-14----------| G|----------------------------12-14-15----------------| D|-------------------11-13-15-------------------------| A|----------12-13-15----------------------------------| E|-11-13-15-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------13-15-17-| B|-------------------------------------14-16----------| G|----------------------------14-15-17----------------| D|-------------------13-15-17-------------------------| A|----------13-15-16----------------------------------| E|-13-15-17-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------17-18-20-| B|-------------------------------------18-20----------| G|----------------------------17-18-20----------------| D|-------------------17-19-20-------------------------| A|----------16-18-20----------------------------------| E|-17-18-20-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------18-20-21-| B|-------------------------------------20-22----------| G|----------------------------18-20-22----------------| D|-------------------19-20-22-------------------------| A|----------18-20-22----------------------------------| E|-18-20-21-------------------------------------------|
How to play C# Lydian Augmented on guitar
Find the root first: C# is at fret 9 on the low E string and fret 4 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every C# on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (3, ♯5, 7), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.
Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 9–13. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.
C# Lydian Augmented is also written Db Lydian Augmented: Db Eb F G A Bb C. The frets are the same; under that name every note keeps its own letter, with no double sharps or flats.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | C# |
| 2 | D# |
| 3 | E# |
| ♯4 | G |
| ♯5 | A |
| 6 | A# |
| 7 | B# |
Chords in C# Lydian Augmented
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in C# Lydian Augmented; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| I+ | C#aug | C#maj7#5 | Tonic |
| II | D# | D#7 | Supertonic |
| III | E# | E#7 | Mediant |
| ♯iv° | Gdim | Gm7b5 | Subdominant |
| ♯v° | Adim | Am7b5 | Dominant |
| vi | A#m | A#m(maj7) | Submediant |
| vii | B#m | B#m7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise C# Lydian Augmented anywhere, even offline.
This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.
Free
- 65 scales and 56 chord types in every key, with CAGED shapes
- A tuner with 10 tunings and a metronome from 30 to 260 BPM
- A new Daily 15 routine every day, plus free exercises
- Maqam & makam between the frets, and the Name the Note quiz
One purchase
- 282 exercises that play as tab, and routines with a speed trainer
- Chord & Scale Finder: tap the neck, get the name
- Theory Lab and the Progression Builder with 51 genre loops
- No subscription, ads removed
Questions
- What notes are in the C# Lydian Augmented Scale?
- The C# Lydian Augmented Scale has 7 notes: C#, D#, E#, G, A, A#, B#.
- What chords are in the C# Lydian Augmented Scale?
- The chords of C# Lydian Augmented are C#aug (I+), D# (II), E# (III), Gdim (♯iv°), Adim (♯v°), A#m (vi), B#m (vii).
- What is the formula of the lydian augmented scale?
- 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 6 7, which is the step pattern W W W W H W H (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play C# Lydian Augmented on the guitar?
- The root C# is at fret 9 on the low E string and fret 4 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 9–13, and four more positions connect it up the neck.