A lydian augmented uses A, B, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯. Its wide whole-tone run makes Box 1 a fast way to cover frets 0–4.
A lydian augmented uses A, B, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯. Its wide whole-tone run makes Box 1 a fast way to cover frets 0–4.
A lydian augmented is the fourth mode of E♯ melodic minor, built 1, 2, 3, ♯4, ♯5, 6, 7. The ♯4 and ♯5 give two leading tones above the root. Compare A ionian augmented, which keeps a perfect fourth. The scale contains three consecutive whole steps from the root.
Use over A augmented or A augmented major 7th chords. The ♯5 matches the chord's raised fifth, while the ♯4 adds a lydian color. Try it in jazz or fusion over A augmented and A augmented major 7th.
Learn Box 1 first: the root sits on string 6, fret 5, and the pattern covers frets 0–4. It sets up Box 2 by shifting the same shape up three frets.
A lydian augmented in box 1 runs from fret 0 to fret 4, 18 notes across 6 strings, from E♯ on the low E string at fret 1 up to G♯ on the high e string at fret 4. The root falls on the A string at fret 0 and the G string at fret 2.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1, 2, 4 | E♯, F♯, G♯ |
| 5 (A) | 0, 2, 4 | A, B, C♯ |
| 4 (D) | 1, 3, 4 | D♯, E♯, F♯ |
| 3 (G) | 1, 2, 4 | G♯, A, B |
| 2 (B) | 0, 2, 4 | B, C♯, D♯ |
| 1 (e) | 1, 2, 4 | E♯, F♯, G♯ |
A lydian augmented in box 2 runs from fret 5 to fret 8, 12 notes across 6 strings, from A on the low E string at fret 5 up to B on the high e string at fret 7. The root falls on the low E string at fret 5, the D string at fret 7 and the high e string at fret 5.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 5, 7 | A, B |
| 5 (A) | 6, 8 | D♯, E♯ |
| 4 (D) | 6, 7 | G♯, A |
| 3 (G) | 6, 8 | C♯, D♯ |
| 2 (B) | 6, 7 | E♯, F♯ |
| 1 (e) | 5, 7 | A, B |
A lydian augmented in box 3 runs from fret 7 to fret 10, 13 notes across 6 strings, from B on the low E string at fret 7 up to C♯ on the high e string at fret 9. The root falls on the D string at fret 7 and the B string at fret 10.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7, 9 | B, C♯ |
| 5 (A) | 8, 9 | E♯, F♯ |
| 4 (D) | 7, 9 | A, B |
| 3 (G) | 8, 10 | D♯, E♯ |
| 2 (B) | 7, 9, 10 | F♯, G♯, A |
| 1 (e) | 7, 9 | B, C♯ |
A lydian augmented in box 4 runs from fret 9 to fret 12, 14 notes across 6 strings, from C♯ on the low E string at fret 9 up to D♯ on the high e string at fret 11. The root falls on the A string at fret 12 and the B string at fret 10.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9, 11 | C♯, D♯ |
| 5 (A) | 9, 11, 12 | F♯, G♯, A |
| 4 (D) | 9, 11 | B, C♯ |
| 3 (G) | 10, 11 | E♯, F♯ |
| 2 (B) | 9, 10, 12 | G♯, A, B |
| 1 (e) | 9, 11 | C♯, D♯ |
A lydian augmented in box 5 runs from fret 11 to fret 14, 16 notes across 6 strings, from D♯ on the low E string at fret 11 up to F♯ on the high e string at fret 14. The root falls on the A string at fret 12 and the G string at fret 14.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11, 13, 14 | D♯, E♯, F♯ |
| 5 (A) | 11, 12, 14 | G♯, A, B |
| 4 (D) | 11, 13 | C♯, D♯ |
| 3 (G) | 11, 13, 14 | F♯, G♯, A |
| 2 (B) | 12, 14 | B, C♯ |
| 1 (e) | 11, 13, 14 | D♯, E♯, F♯ |
A lydian augmented, position 1 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the ♯5 and runs from fret 0 to fret 6, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the A string at fret 0, the G string at fret 2 and the high e string at fret 5.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1, 2, 4 | E♯, F♯, G♯ |
| 5 (A) | 0, 2, 4 | A, B, C♯ |
| 4 (D) | 1, 3, 4 | D♯, E♯, F♯ |
| 3 (G) | 1, 2, 4 | G♯, A, B |
| 2 (B) | 2, 4, 6 | C♯, D♯, E♯ |
| 1 (e) | 2, 4, 5 | F♯, G♯, A |
A lydian augmented, position 2 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 6 and runs from fret 2 to fret 7, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the low E string at fret 5, the G string at fret 2 and the high e string at fret 5.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2, 4, 5 | F♯, G♯, A |
| 5 (A) | 2, 4, 6 | B, C♯, D♯ |
| 4 (D) | 3, 4, 6 | E♯, F♯, G♯ |
| 3 (G) | 2, 4, 6 | A, B, C♯ |
| 2 (B) | 4, 6, 7 | D♯, E♯, F♯ |
| 1 (e) | 4, 5, 7 | G♯, A, B |
A lydian augmented, position 3 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 7 and runs from fret 4 to fret 9, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the low E string at fret 5, the D string at fret 7 and the high e string at fret 5.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4, 5, 7 | G♯, A, B |
| 5 (A) | 4, 6, 8 | C♯, D♯, E♯ |
| 4 (D) | 4, 6, 7 | F♯, G♯, A |
| 3 (G) | 4, 6, 8 | B, C♯, D♯ |
| 2 (B) | 6, 7, 9 | E♯, F♯, G♯ |
| 1 (e) | 5, 7, 9 | A, B, C♯ |
A lydian augmented, position 4 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the root and runs from fret 5 to fret 11, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the low E string at fret 5, the D string at fret 7 and the B string at fret 10.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 5, 7, 9 | A, B, C♯ |
| 5 (A) | 6, 8, 9 | D♯, E♯, F♯ |
| 4 (D) | 6, 7, 9 | G♯, A, B |
| 3 (G) | 6, 8, 10 | C♯, D♯, E♯ |
| 2 (B) | 7, 9, 10 | F♯, G♯, A |
| 1 (e) | 7, 9, 11 | B, C♯, D♯ |
A lydian augmented, position 5 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 2 and runs from fret 7 to fret 13, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the D string at fret 7 and the B string at fret 10.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7, 9, 11 | B, C♯, D♯ |
| 5 (A) | 8, 9, 11 | E♯, F♯, G♯ |
| 4 (D) | 7, 9, 11 | A, B, C♯ |
| 3 (G) | 8, 10, 11 | D♯, E♯, F♯ |
| 2 (B) | 9, 10, 12 | G♯, A, B |
| 1 (e) | 9, 11, 13 | C♯, D♯, E♯ |
A lydian augmented, position 6 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 3 and runs from fret 9 to fret 14, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the A string at fret 12 and the B string at fret 10.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9, 11, 13 | C♯, D♯, E♯ |
| 5 (A) | 9, 11, 12 | F♯, G♯, A |
| 4 (D) | 9, 11, 13 | B, C♯, D♯ |
| 3 (G) | 10, 11, 13 | E♯, F♯, G♯ |
| 2 (B) | 10, 12, 14 | A, B, C♯ |
| 1 (e) | 11, 13, 14 | D♯, E♯, F♯ |
A lydian augmented, position 7 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the ♯4 and runs from fret 11 to fret 16, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the A string at fret 12 and the G string at fret 14.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11, 13, 14 | D♯, E♯, F♯ |
| 5 (A) | 11, 12, 14 | G♯, A, B |
| 4 (D) | 11, 13, 15 | C♯, D♯, E♯ |
| 3 (G) | 11, 13, 14 | F♯, G♯, A |
| 2 (B) | 12, 14, 16 | B, C♯, D♯ |
| 1 (e) | 13, 14, 16 | E♯, F♯, G♯ |
Every chord here uses only notes from the scale. Tap one to open it.
A augmented and A augmented major 7th are the primary choices. The scale's ♯5 matches the augmented fifth, and the major seventh fits the chord. The ♯4 works as a color tone over these chords.
No, A major has D natural and E natural. A lydian augmented raises the fourth to D♯ and the fifth to E♯. That creates a brighter, more tense sound.
Box 1 is the best starting point. It keeps the root on string 6, fret 5, and covers frets 1–5. From there you can slide to Box 2.