B Lydian Minor Guitar Scale
Guitar scale — fretboard diagram
B Lydian Minor Scale — Notes and Intervals
The B Lydian Minor scale is a unique scale that blends Lydian brightness with a layer of minor-key melancholy. On Guitar, the notes are B, C#, D#, F, F#, G, A. It provides a sophisticated, bittersweet color that is perfect for modern film scores and emotive jazz solos. Commonly used in Film Scores, Jazz, Progressive. Notable players include Danny Elfman, Brad Mehldau. Use over m7#11 chords. A specialized color for emotive jazz and cinematic passages that need emotional complexity.
Notes: B, C#, D#, F, F#, G, A
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 4A, 5P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 3 #4 5 b6 b7
Formula: W-W-W-H-H-W-W
Number of notes: 7
How to Play B Lydian Minor on Guitar
Place your index finger at fret 7 on the 6th (low E) to find your B root note. Use a three-notes-per-string fingering to cover the full scale in one position, or learn the CAGED shapes to navigate the entire fretboard. An alternative starting point is 2nd fret on the A string.
The B Lydian Minor scale contains 3 sharps (C#, D#, F#). Its relative major is D# major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the B Lydian Minor scale ascending and descending at 80 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (B-D#, C#-F) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on B to let the characteristic intervals of the Lydian Minor scale come through clearly.
Guitar Tips
Use hybrid picking (pick + fingers) when playing the B Lydian Minor scale on guitar to access wider intervals and string skips that a pick alone cannot handle efficiently.
The B Lydian Minor scale contains 7 notes (B, C#, D#, F, F#, G, A). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for B Lydian Minor
The B Lydian Minor scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.
Explore B Lydian Minor Further
- Harmonize the B Lydian Minor scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- B Lydian Minor on Ukulele
- B Lydian Minor on Bass
- B Lydian Minor on Piano
Explore B Lydian Minor in Other Tunings
- B Lydian Minor in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- B Lydian Minor in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- B Lydian Minor in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- B Lydian Minor in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- B Lydian Minor in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- B Lydian Minor in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- B Lydian Minor in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- B Lydian Minor in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- B Lydian Minor in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- B Lydian Minor in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- B Lydian Minor in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- B Lydian Minor in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- B Lydian Minor in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- B Lydian Minor in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)