E Lydian scale on alto sax
E Lydian has 7 notes: E F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯. Degrees: 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7. Formula: W W W H W W H.
What notes are in the E Lydian scale?
E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C♯ and D♯. It has 7 notes; its formula in whole and half steps is W W W H W W H.
What does E Lydian sound like, and when do you use it?
Floating and dreamy: the ♯4 lifts the major chord off the ground. Very much a soundtrack sound. Use it over maj7(♯11) · the IV of a major key.
To hear it: Flying in a Blue Dream — Joe Satriani.
Chords in E Lydian
| Degree | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| I | E | Emaj7 |
| II | F♯ | F♯7 |
| iii | G♯m | G♯m7 |
| ♯iv° | A♯° | A♯m7♭5 |
| V | B | Bmaj7 |
| vi | C♯m | C♯m7 |
| vii | D♯m | D♯m7 |
Chord progressions to improvise with E Lydian
In Jam mode (the Jam button above) a band of grand piano, upright bass and drums (recorded instruments) plays these progressions as swing, bossa, groove or ballad, and the staff lights up the notes of each chord as it plays. It's a backing track made for this scale in E:
- Lydian vamp (Imaj7–II7): Emaj7 | F♯7. The II7 makes the ♯4 (A♯) the chord's 3rd: the scale floats without falling.
- I–vii (Imaj7–vii7): Emaj7 | Emaj7 | D♯m7 | D♯m7. The sound of movie soundtracks: shine with a touch of nostalgia.
- Modal (Imaj7): a Emaj7 vamp. A single maj7 chord: let the A♯ ring against the root.
E Lydian on alto sax: written notes and fingerings
The alto sax is a E♭ instrument: written E Lydian sounds G Lydian in concert pitch. Fingering for each note, from low to high (left hand | right hand):
- E: 123 | 12
- F♯: 123 | 2
- G♯: 123 | – + G♯
- A♯: 1 | – + bis (B♭)
- B: 1 | –
- C♯: – | –
- D♯: 123 | 123 + octave key + E♭
- E: 123 | 12 + octave key
Same notes as
B major · G♯ natural minor · B Ionian · C♯ Dorian · D♯ Phrygian · F♯ Mixolydian · G♯ Aeolian · A♯ Locrian
Lydian in other keys
On other instruments
E Lydian on piano · E Lydian on guitar · E Lydian on bass · E Lydian on ukulele · E Lydian on mandolin · E Lydian on banjo · E Lydian on violin · E Lydian on viola · E Lydian on cello · E Lydian on tenor sax · E Lydian on trumpet · E Lydian on flute · All scales