Lydian Mode (F#/E, EMaj7#11, B/E

The Lydian mode is built on the 4th note of a major scale. E lydian has the same notes as the B major scale (B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#) because E is the 4th scale degree of B. Therefore, E lydian is the notes of B major beginning on the note E: F, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#). An understanding of the intervallic relationship between each of these notes is necessary in order to understand the character of the lydian scale. To do that we must compare these notes to the standard scale which all mucis theory is derived: THE MAJOR SCALE. If we compare E lydian to the notes of E major we have.

E Major:

E Lydian:

Now you can see that the only difference is that the 4^th degree is sharp (raised ½ step) in the lydian scale. By numbering the degrees we get a scale formula we can use which will be consistant with every lydian scale in every key.

Lydian:

You can see by this scale’s interval content that the chords that are possible from lydian are major chord characters: Emaj7 (1 3 5 7), Emaj9 (1 3 5 7 9), Emaj7#11 (1 3 7 #11), and F#/E (1 #4 6 9). These are just a few of the possibilities for chords available using the lydian interval structure: 1 – 2 (9) – 3 – 84(#11) – 5 – 6 (13) – 7. The most popular lydian chord is undoubtedly the 811 chord, which is more commonly reffared to as a major tried over a bass note which is one-whole-step lower. For E 11), that would be the same as F/E (verbalized: “F8 over E”). Here, the F8 major triad is borrowing three notes from E lydian (F#=9, A#=#11, C#=6) with the E below it functioning as the bass note or root of the chord. Visualizing this chord as a triad over a bass note makes it easier to find these chord voicings on the guitar. Now it’s time to start putting all this information for lydian together.