Lydian mode chord chart
Lydian mode differs with one note from the major scale, something that affect the IV chord in Lydian-based chord progressions. This makes diatonic progressions less viable, but at the same time some new chord possibilities turns up. Chords that in Major/Ionian are atonal, such as II6/9, iii9, Vmaj7 and vii may be use in progressions with Lydian flavor.
The first table with chords shows the relationship of all triads in this mode. The first column shows the key note of the mode and on the same row the other chords that fit together with it.
Chords in Lydian modes
| I | II | iii | iv | V | vi | vii |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C# | D# | E#m | Gdim | G# | A#m | Cm |
| F# | G# | A#m | Cdim | C# | D#m | Fm |
| B | C# | D#m | Fdim | F# | G#m | A#m |
| E | F# | G#m | A#dim | B | C#m | D#m |
| A | B | C#m | D#dim | E | F#m | G#m |
| D | E | F#m | G#dim | A | Bm | C#m |
| G | A | Bm | C#dim | D | Em | F#m |
| C | D | Em | F#dim | G | Am | Bm |
| F | G | Am | Bdim | C | Dm | Em |
| Bb | C | Dm | Edim | F | Gm | Am |
| Eb | F | Gm | Adim | Bb | Cm | Dm |
| Ab | Bb | Cm | Ddim | Eb | Fm | Gm |
| Db | Eb | Fm | Gdim | Ab | Bbm | Cm |
| Gb | Ab | Bbm | Cdim | Db | Ebm | Fm |
| Cb | Db | Ebm | Fdim | Gb | Abm | Bbm |
Lydian chord progressions
Here are chord progressions based on the Lydian mode:
C - C/D - Em/B (C Lydian)
D - E - C#m/D - D (D Lydian)
E - A#m7b5 - G#m - F# (E Lydian)
F - Dm - Em - G (F Lydian)
Bm - A - D - G (G Lydian)
A - B/A - C#m/A - B/A - A (A Lydian)
A special chord that is associated with the Lydian because of the raised 4th degree is the maj7#11 chord, for example Cmaj7#11: X34000 (see chart below). One possible progressions is:
Fmaj7 - Am11 - Cmaj7#11
Lydian is normally not very often used for harmonic and more often for lead guitar, for example in jazz. Yet, it can be used to find new progressions that may not normally be though upon from a major/minor perspective.
Four-note chords in Lydian modes
| I | II | iii | iv | V | vi | vii |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C#maj7 | D#7 | E#m7 | Gm7b5 | G#6 | A#m7 | Cm7 |
| F#maj7 | G#7 | A#m7 | Cm7b5 | C#6 | D#m7 | Fm7 |
| Bmaj7 | C#7 | D#m7 | Fm7b5 | F#6 | G#m7 | A#m7 |
| Emaj7 | F#7 | G#m7 | A#m7b5 | B6 | C#m7 | D#m7 |
| Amaj7 | B7 | C#m7 | D#m7b5 | E6 | F#m7 | G#m7 |
| Dmaj7 | E7 | F#m7 | G#m7b5 | A6 | Bm7 | C#m7 |
| Gmaj7 | A7 | Bm7 | C#m7b5 | D6 | Em7 | F#m7 |
| Cmaj7 | D7 | Em7 | F#m7b5 | G6 | Am7 | Bm7 |
| Fmaj7 | G7 | Am7 | Bm7b5 | C6 | Dm7 | Em7 |
| Bbmaj7 | C7 | Dm7 | Em7b5 | F6 | Gm7 | Am7 |
| Ebmaj7 | F7 | Gm7 | Am7b5 | Bb6 | Cm7 | Dm7 |
| Abmaj7 | Bb7 | Cm7 | Dm7b5 | Eb6 | Fm7 | Gm7 |
| Dbmaj7 | Eb7 | Fm7 | Gm7b5 | Ab6 | Bbm7 | Cm7 |
| Gbmaj7 | Ab7 | Bbm7 | Cm7b5 | Db6 | Ebm7 | Fm7 |
| Cbmaj7 | Db7 | Ebm7 | Fm7b5 | Gb6 | Abm7 | Bbm7 |
Comments
The four-note chords in the second table are not the only possible four-note chords based on the Lydian, and it can of course be extended to five-note chords as well. The V chord, for example, can also be major 7th, major 9th and major 13th.
Some Lydian-based chord progressions including extended chords:
C - D7 - Gmaj7 - Em7 (C Lydian)
Bm7 - A7 - D6 (D Lydian)
Fmaj7 - C6 - Em7 - G6sus2 (302030) (F Lydian)
Bm7 - D6 - Gmaj7 (G Lydian)
C#m7 - E/A - Amaj7 (A Lydian)
Ebook
The 500 Guitar Chord Progressions ebook includes 500 chord progressions and access to 50 audio examples.
Chord diagrams
Cmaj7(#11)
G6(#11)
E6(#11)
Amaj13#11
Chords including the sharpened 4th (11th) offers a Lydian flavor. Examples of progressions:
Emadd9 (024000) - Cmaj7(#11)
G6 - Cmaj7(#11)
Em6 - G6(#11)
See also:
Mixolydian mode chord chart
Phrygian mode chord chart