C Lydian Scale Charts
Explore C Lydian across the full guitar fretboard and 7 connected positions. Notes: C, D, E, F#, G, A, B. Intervals: 1, 2, 3, #4, 5, 6, 7.
C Lydian full fretboard chart
C Lydian uses C, D, E, F#, G, A, B across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3E | #4F# | 5G | 6A | 7B | RC | 2D | 3E | #4F# | 5G | ||||||
| 2B | 7B | RC | 2D | 3E | #4F# | 5G | 6A | 7B | RC | 2D | ||||||
| 3G | 5G | 6A | 7B | RC | 2D | 3E | #4F# | 5G | 6A | |||||||
| 4D | 2D | 3E | #4F# | 5G | 6A | 7B | RC | 2D | 3E | |||||||
| 5A | 6A | 7B | RC | 2D | 3E | #4F# | 5G | 6A | 7B | RC | ||||||
| 6E | 3E | #4F# | 5G | 6A | 7B | RC | 2D | 3E | #4F# | 5G | ||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (3), F#4 at fret 2 (#4), G4 at fret 3 (5), A4 at fret 5 (6), B4 at fret 7 (7), C5 at fret 8 (root), D5 at fret 10 (2), E5 at fret 12 (3), F#5 at fret 14 (#4), G5 at fret 15 (5).
String 2: B3 at fret 0 (7), C4 at fret 1 (root), D4 at fret 3 (2), E4 at fret 5 (3), F#4 at fret 7 (#4), G4 at fret 8 (5), A4 at fret 10 (6), B4 at fret 12 (7), C5 at fret 13 (root), D5 at fret 15 (2).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (5), A3 at fret 2 (6), B3 at fret 4 (7), C4 at fret 5 (root), D4 at fret 7 (2), E4 at fret 9 (3), F#4 at fret 11 (#4), G4 at fret 12 (5), A4 at fret 14 (6).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (2), E3 at fret 2 (3), F#3 at fret 4 (#4), G3 at fret 5 (5), A3 at fret 7 (6), B3 at fret 9 (7), C4 at fret 10 (root), D4 at fret 12 (2), E4 at fret 14 (3).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (6), B2 at fret 2 (7), C3 at fret 3 (root), D3 at fret 5 (2), E3 at fret 7 (3), F#3 at fret 9 (#4), G3 at fret 10 (5), A3 at fret 12 (6), B3 at fret 14 (7), C4 at fret 15 (root).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (3), F#2 at fret 2 (#4), G2 at fret 3 (5), A2 at fret 5 (6), B2 at fret 7 (7), C3 at fret 8 (root), D3 at fret 10 (2), E3 at fret 12 (3), F#3 at fret 14 (#4), G3 at fret 15 (5).
C Lydian Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 8-12 for C Lydian.
| String | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RC | 2D | 3E | ||
| 2B | 6A | 7B | |||
| 3G | 3E | #4F# | 5G | ||
| 4D | 7B | RC | 2D | ||
| 5A | #4F# | 5G | 6A | ||
| 6E | RC | 2D | 3E | ||
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
String 1: C5 at fret 8 (root), D5 at fret 10 (2), E5 at fret 12 (3).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (6), B4 at fret 12 (7).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (3), F#4 at fret 11 (#4), G4 at fret 12 (5).
String 4: B3 at fret 9 (7), C4 at fret 10 (root), D4 at fret 12 (2).
String 5: F#3 at fret 9 (#4), G3 at fret 10 (5), A3 at fret 12 (6).
String 6: C3 at fret 8 (root), D3 at fret 10 (2), E3 at fret 12 (3).
C Lydian Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 7-11 for C Lydian.
| String | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 7B | RC | 2D | ||
| 2B | #4F# | 5G | 6A | ||
| 3G | 2D | 3E | |||
| 4D | 6A | 7B | RC | ||
| 5A | 3E | #4F# | 5G | ||
| 6E | 7B | RC | 2D | ||
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
String 1: B4 at fret 7 (7), C5 at fret 8 (root), D5 at fret 10 (2).
String 2: F#4 at fret 7 (#4), G4 at fret 8 (5), A4 at fret 10 (6).
String 3: D4 at fret 7 (2), E4 at fret 9 (3).
String 4: A3 at fret 7 (6), B3 at fret 9 (7), C4 at fret 10 (root).
String 5: E3 at fret 7 (3), F#3 at fret 9 (#4), G3 at fret 10 (5).
String 6: B2 at fret 7 (7), C3 at fret 8 (root), D3 at fret 10 (2).
C Lydian Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 5-9 for C Lydian.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 6A | 7B | RC | ||
| 2B | #4F# | 5G | |||
| 3G | RC | 2D | 3E | ||
| 4D | 5G | 6A | 7B | ||
| 5A | 2D | 3E | #4F# | ||
| 6E | 6A | 7B | RC | ||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (6), B4 at fret 7 (7), C5 at fret 8 (root).
String 2: F#4 at fret 7 (#4), G4 at fret 8 (5).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (root), D4 at fret 7 (2), E4 at fret 9 (3).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (5), A3 at fret 7 (6), B3 at fret 9 (7).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (2), E3 at fret 7 (3), F#3 at fret 9 (#4).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (6), B2 at fret 7 (7), C3 at fret 8 (root).
C Lydian Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 3-7 for C Lydian.
| String | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5G | 6A | 7B | ||
| 2B | 3E | #4F# | |||
| 3G | 7B | RC | 2D | ||
| 4D | #4F# | 5G | 6A | ||
| 5A | RC | 2D | 3E | ||
| 6E | 5G | 6A | 7B | ||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (5), A4 at fret 5 (6), B4 at fret 7 (7).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (3), F#4 at fret 7 (#4).
String 3: B3 at fret 4 (7), C4 at fret 5 (root), D4 at fret 7 (2).
String 4: F#3 at fret 4 (#4), G3 at fret 5 (5), A3 at fret 7 (6).
String 5: C3 at fret 3 (root), D3 at fret 5 (2), E3 at fret 7 (3).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (5), A2 at fret 5 (6), B2 at fret 7 (7).
C Lydian Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 1-5 for C Lydian.
| String | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #4F# | 5G | 6A | ||
| 2B | 2D | 3E | |||
| 3G | 6A | 7B | RC | ||
| 4D | 3E | #4F# | 5G | ||
| 5A | 7B | RC | 2D | ||
| 6E | #4F# | 5G | 6A | ||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
String 1: F#4 at fret 2 (#4), G4 at fret 3 (5), A4 at fret 5 (6).
String 2: D4 at fret 3 (2), E4 at fret 5 (3).
String 3: A3 at fret 2 (6), B3 at fret 4 (7), C4 at fret 5 (root).
String 4: E3 at fret 2 (3), F#3 at fret 4 (#4), G3 at fret 5 (5).
String 5: B2 at fret 2 (7), C3 at fret 3 (root), D3 at fret 5 (2).
String 6: F#2 at fret 2 (#4), G2 at fret 3 (5), A2 at fret 5 (6).
C Lydian Position 6 chart
Position 6 covers frets 0-4 for C Lydian.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3E | #4F# | 5G | ||
| 2B | 7B | RC | 2D | ||
| 3G | 5G | 6A | |||
| 4D | 2D | 3E | #4F# | ||
| 5A | 6A | 7B | RC | ||
| 6E | 3E | #4F# | 5G | ||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (3), F#4 at fret 2 (#4), G4 at fret 3 (5).
String 2: B3 at fret 0 (7), C4 at fret 1 (root), D4 at fret 3 (2).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (5), A3 at fret 2 (6).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (2), E3 at fret 2 (3), F#3 at fret 4 (#4).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (6), B2 at fret 2 (7), C3 at fret 3 (root).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (3), F#2 at fret 2 (#4), G2 at fret 3 (5).
C Lydian Position 7 chart
Position 7 covers frets 10-14 for C Lydian.
| String | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 2D | 3E | #4F# | ||
| 2B | 7B | RC | |||
| 3G | #4F# | 5G | 6A | ||
| 4D | RC | 2D | 3E | ||
| 5A | 5G | 6A | 7B | ||
| 6E | 2D | 3E | #4F# | ||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
String 1: D5 at fret 10 (2), E5 at fret 12 (3), F#5 at fret 14 (#4).
String 2: B4 at fret 12 (7), C5 at fret 13 (root).
String 3: F#4 at fret 11 (#4), G4 at fret 12 (5), A4 at fret 14 (6).
String 4: C4 at fret 10 (root), D4 at fret 12 (2), E4 at fret 14 (3).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (5), A3 at fret 12 (6), B3 at fret 14 (7).
String 6: D3 at fret 10 (2), E3 at fret 12 (3), F#3 at fret 14 (#4).
Lydian scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · 2 · 3 · #4 · 5 · 6 · 7
- Characteristic tones
- #4
Practice the C Lydian sound
- Say and play the scale: Play C → D → E → F# → G → A → B → C up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → 2 → 3 → #4 → 5 → 6 → 7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on F# (#4) before landing on C. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 7 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 8–12), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next C as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Lydian into the matching course and practice resources.