Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Scale
F Lydian Mode
Bright, floating and dreamy. The raised fourth removes the only 'avoid note' of the major scale, so the sound feels open, magical and slightly unresolved.
- 7 notes
- no sharps or flats
- mode
1Composition: what it contains
F – G – A – B – C – D – E
- Formula
- 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7
- Steps
- W – W – W – H – W – W – H
- Number of notes
- 7
- Sharps and flats
- no sharps or flats
- Also called
- fourth mode of the major scale, Lydian ♯4
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | unison | 0 | tonic |
| 2 | G | major second | 2 | supertonic |
| 3 | A | major third | 4 | mediant |
| ♯4 | B | augmented fourth | 6 | subdominant |
| 5 | C | perfect fifth | 7 | dominant |
| 6 | D | major sixth | 9 | submediant |
| 7 | E | major seventh | 11 | leading tone |
2Appearance: diagrams and sound
Tip: click any note, key or fret to hear it. Orange = root.
3Indications: what it is used for
Loved by film and game composers for wonder and flight, and by jazz and fusion players over major seventh chords with a ♯11. It fits the IV chord of a major key (it is the fourth mode of the major scale), progressions like I–II (major chord to major chord a whole step up) that define the mode, and static major vamps. Over a maj7♯11 or a maj7 chord on the tonic it is the jazz player's preferred choice because the raised fourth can be held without clashing with the major third.
4Dosage: how to practise it
Ten minutes daily over a loop of the I chord moving to the major II chord at 70–90 BPM. Sing or play the raised fourth against the root to memorise its colour. Practise two-octave runs, diatonic thirds and triad arpeggios built on each degree (especially the major triads on 1 and 2). On guitar, learn three-notes-per-string shapes and use ringing open strings or legato for a shimmering sound. On piano, voice the tonic as a major seventh chord with the ♯11 on top and improvise with the right hand.
5Warnings and common mistakes
Do not play it over a dominant seventh chord: you need the Lydian dominant for that (flat seventh). The raised fourth can sound like a wrong note to listeners expecting a plain major key, so make the mode clear with the harmony. Do not confuse it with the major scale starting on another note: think of the tonal centre. Over a sus4 chord the raised fourth clashes directly with the chord tone.
6Interactions with chords, scales and keys
Chords of the scale (triads)
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | F | F – A – C | |
| II | G | G – B – D | |
| iii | Am | A – C – E | |
| ♯iv° | Bdim | B – D – F | |
| V | C | C – E – G | |
| vi | Dm | D – F – A | |
| vii | Em | E – G – B |
Chords of the scale (seventh chords)
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imaj7 | Fmaj7 | F – A – C – E | |
| II7 | G7 | G – B – D – F | |
| iii7 | Am7 | A – C – E – G | |
| ♯ivø7 | Bm7♭5 | B – D – F – A | |
| Vmaj7 | Cmaj7 | C – E – G – B | |
| vi7 | Dm7 | D – F – A – C | |
| vii7 | Em7 | E – G – B – D |
Same notes, different starting point
7Other presentations available
The same scale from every note
- C Lydian Mode
- D flat Lydian Mode
- D Lydian Mode
- E flat Lydian Mode
- E Lydian Mode
- G flat Lydian Mode
- G Lydian Mode
- A flat Lydian Mode
- A Lydian Mode
- B flat Lydian Mode
- B Lydian Mode
Other scales from the same note
- F Major Scale
- F Natural Minor Scale
- F Harmonic Minor Scale
- F Melodic Minor Scale
- F Dorian Mode
- F Phrygian Mode
- F Mixolydian Mode
- F Locrian Mode
- F Major Pentatonic Scale
- F Minor Pentatonic Scale
- F Blues Scale
- F Major Blues Scale
- F Whole Tone Scale
- F Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- F Whole-Half Diminished Scale
- F Phrygian Dominant Scale
- F Hungarian Minor Scale
- F Lydian Dominant Scale
- E sharp Altered Scale
- F Double Harmonic Major Scale
- F Bebop Dominant Scale
Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.