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Guitar scale · Lydian diminished

G Lydian b3 Scale

Mode 4 of Harmonic Major: Lydian with a lowered 3rd, also called Lydian diminished.

Notes GABbC#DEF#
Formula 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6 7
Steps W H W+H H W W H
Mood Haunting, Rich, Unusual
Heard in Modal Improvisation, Jazz

Interactive scale diagram

G Lydian b3 Scale · Standard tuning

STR OP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 E A D G B E

Tap any note to hear it.

G Lydian b3 Scale tab: all 5 positions

Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.

Position 1 · E shape frets 3–7
e|-----------------------------3-5-6-|
B|-------------------------5-7-------|
G|-------------------3-6-7-----------|
D|-------------4-5-7-----------------|
A|-------4-5-7-----------------------|
E|-3-5-6-----------------------------|
Position 2 · D shape frets 5–9
e|-----------------------------5-6-9-|
B|-------------------------7-8-------|
G|-------------------6-7-9-----------|
D|-------------5-7-8-----------------|
A|-------5-7-9-----------------------|
E|-5-6-9-----------------------------|
Position 3 · C shape frets 7–11
e|-----------------------------------9-10-|
B|---------------------------8-10-11------|
G|--------------------7-9-11--------------|
D|-------------7-8-11---------------------|
A|------7-9-10----------------------------|
E|-9-10-----------------------------------|
Position 4 · A shape frets 10–14
e|-------------------------------------------10-12-14-|
B|-------------------------------------11-14----------|
G|----------------------------11-12-14----------------|
D|-------------------11-12-14-------------------------|
A|----------10-12-13----------------------------------|
E|-10-12-14-------------------------------------------|
Position 5 · G shape frets 12–16
e|-------------------------------------------12-14-15-|
B|-------------------------------------14-15----------|
G|----------------------------12-14-15----------------|
D|-------------------12-14-16-------------------------|
A|----------12-13-16----------------------------------|
E|-12-14-15-------------------------------------------|

How to play G Lydian b3 on guitar

Find the root first: G is at fret 3 on the low E string and fret 10 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every G 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 3–7. 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.

Degrees

DegreeNote
1 G
2 A
♭3 Bb
♯4 C#
5 D
6 E
7 F#

Chords in G Lydian b3

Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in G Lydian b3; tap one to see its shapes.

Degree Chord 7th chord Function
i Gm Gm(maj7) Tonic
II A A7 Supertonic
♭III+ Bbaug Bbmaj7#5 Mediant
♯iv° C#dim C#dim7 Subdominant
V D Dmaj7 Dominant
vi° Edim Em7b5 Submediant
vii F#m F#m7 Leading tone / subtonic

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Questions

What notes are in the G Lydian b3 Scale?
The G Lydian b3 Scale has 7 notes: G, A, Bb, C#, D, E, F#.
What chords are in the G Lydian b3 Scale?
The chords of G Lydian b3 are Gm (i), A (II), Bbaug (♭III+), C#dim (♯iv°), D (V), Edim (vi°), F#m (vii).
What is the formula of the lydian b3 scale?
1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6 7, which is the step pattern W H W+H H W W H (W = whole step, H = half step).
Where do I play G Lydian b3 on the guitar?
The root G is at fret 3 on the low E string and fret 10 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 3–7, and four more positions connect it up the neck.

Lydian b3 Scale in every key

More scales in G