Lydian mode chord chart
Lydian mode differs with one note from the major scale, something that affect the IV chord in chord progressions. This make diatonic progressions less viable, but on the same time some new chord possibilities turns up. Chords that in Major/Ionian are atonal, such as II6/9, iii9, Vmaj7 and vii.
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 fits 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 - D/C - 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. 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, could also be major 7th, major 9th and major 13th.
Some chord progressions including extended Lydian based 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)
Chord diagrams
Cmaj7(#11)
G6(#11)
E6(#11)
Amaj13sharp11
Chords including the sharpened 4th (11th) could offer a Lydian flavor. Examples of progressions:
Emadd9 (024000) - Cmaj7(#11)
Em6 - G6(#11)
See also:
Mixolydian mode chord chart
Phrygian mode chord chart
