Box 1
Position 1 (6th-string root)
Frets 8–11
When to use it: Root on the 6th string. Learn this one first — matching the root to a fret is all it takes to move the shape to any key.
Lydian Mode
C Lydian Mode
Major with a raised 4th — film scores and anything that should feel like wonder.
- Notes
- C D E F♯ G A B
- Formula
- 1 · 2 · 3 · ♯4 · 5 · 6 · 7
- Sound
- dreamy, floating
- Guitar positions
- 2
The patterns on guitar
2 fretboard positions in standard tuning, low string on the left. Every dot is a note of the scale and the number inside it is the scale degree, so you can see the shape and the theory at once.
root notescale notenumbers inside the dots are scale degrees
Box 2
Position 2 (5th-string root)
Frets 3–6
When to use it: Root on the 5th string. Use it when the tonic is easier to find on the A string, or when you want the scale to sit higher.
The notes
7 notes, built off C with the formula 1 · 2 · 3 · ♯4 · 5 · 6 · 7. One note separates Lydian from major, and that note (the ♯4) removes the pull toward the subdominant. The result floats instead of resolving.
Tap any note to hear it on its own.
Chords built from this scale
Stack every other note of the scale and you get its seven diatonic chords. These are the chords that sound at home over this scale — a progression made only of these will never leave the key.
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Seventh | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | C | C E G | Cmaj7 | tonic — everything resolves here |
| II | D | D F♯ A | D7 | supertonic — a bright, borrowed pre-dominant |
| iii | Em | E G B | Em7 | mediant — a soft substitute for the tonic |
| iv° | F♯dim | F♯ A C | F♯m7♭5 | subdominant — unstable |
| V | G | G B D | Gmaj7 | dominant — wants to resolve home |
| vi | Am | A C E | Am7 | submediant — a soft landing away from the tonic |
| vii | Bm | B D F♯ | Bm7 | leading tone — a half step below home, maximum tension |
Common questions
What notes are in the C Lydian Mode?
The C Lydian mode has 7 notes: C, D, E, F#, G, A, B. The interval formula is 1–2–3–♯4–5–6–7, counted up from C.
What chords are in the C Lydian Mode?
The C Lydian mode builds seven diatonic chords: I C, II D, iii Em, iv° F#dim, V G, vi Am, vii Bm.
Where do I start on guitar?
Start with Position 1 (6th-string root) at fret 8. Root on the 6th string. Learn this one first — matching the root to a fret is all it takes to move the shape to any key.
Learn the theory behind it
The patterns above get your fingers moving. These explain what the notes are actually doing, so you can use the scale instead of just running it.