How to Make the Lydian Mode Sound – Part 1

If you’ve been playing guitar for
more than a day, you’ve probably
heard about scales and “modes”.

Although they can sound mysterious,
they’re really nothing more than
inversions of a scale.

If you have C major scale, you have
the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.

Then you also have:

C Ionian (Major)
D Dorian
E Phrygian
F Lydian
G Mixolydian
A Aeolian (Minor)
B Locrian

All with the same notes — the only difference
is which note you start on, or emphasize.

That’s why , for example, in the Guitar Scale
System software, there’s no modes listed.

Why? Because if you’re learning a pattern
across the whole neck, all the notes would
be the same.

Still, we can create different sounds depending
on which note we start on.

In the next email, I’ll show you a few cool
tricks using the Lydian Mode.

For now, I want to leave with you a cool chord
that emphasizes the lydian sound.

Let’s take E Lydian… The note that really
stands out is the Bb.

This forms a tritone interval, which is the
creepiest of all intervals :)… Play
an E note and Bb to hear what I mean.

I think tritones were actually illegal to play
in the days of old. You could be accused
of being a witch. I’m serious. lol…

Anyway this interval sounds awesomely bittersweet when you
mix it together with the beautiful Maj7 sound
inside of an Emaj7#11 chord.

To me, this chord really captures the essense
of the Lydian mode.

Check it out:

–6–
–9–
–8–
–6–
–7–
–0–

Middle finger goes on the A string,
ring finger on the G string,
pinky on the B string, and you’re
barring the top 4 strings at the
6th fret with your index finger.

Try playing this chord and then
some lydian riffs.

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