Bb Lydian Augmented Scale

What is the Bb Lydian Augmented Scale?

Lydian augmented is the third mode of the melodic minor scale, combining the dreamy #4 of Lydian with a #5 that pushes the brightness even further into otherworldly territory. It's a favorite in modern jazz for augmented major 7th chords, creating a sound that feels both familiar and strangely beautiful. Here's how the Bb Lydian Augmented Scale lays out on the fretboard. This scale is enharmonically equivalent to A# Lydian Augmented.

Notes and Positions

Lydian with a raised 5th; 3rd mode of melodic minor. Bright and ethereal. On bass, the fretboard view helps you visualize where the important tones sit for building lines across positions. Use a finger-per-fret approach first, then add shifts only when the line needs a wider range. In the key of Bb, the notes are: Bb, C, D, E, F#, G, A.

How to Use It

You'll often hear it in Jazz, Fusion, and Film Scores. A good way to internalize the sound is to sing the root, then sing a few scale degrees before you play them.

Practice root-on-E and root-on-A boxes separately, then connect them with one clean position shift. Use the interactive fretboard above to spot repeats of the same note on different strings and frets.