B Lydian

B1C♯2D♯3E♯♯4F♯5G♯6A♯7

Major with a raised fourth. The fourth mode of the major scale.

Written out

Fig. 2 · B Lydian, ascending

Every accidental is written in, rather than left to a key signature, so the letters can be read one at a time.

BWC♯WD♯WE♯HF♯WG♯WA♯HB

B Lydian is B, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯ and A♯, and back to B.

Its steps are W – W – W – H – W – W – H, where W is a whole step and H a half.

It costs 6 alterations to write — near the limit of what a key signature can carry.

On the same tonic, B major differs from it by exactly one note.

Across the first twelve frets of the ukulele its notes fall in 28 places, which is what makes a scale a shape rather than a list.

Found by testing every chord in the catalogue against these 7 sounds, not chosen.