Lydian Augmented #3 is a bright, strange, futuristic mode with a strong progressive rock and fusion flavor.
It has the floating quality of Lydian, the unstable shine of an augmented scale, and an unusual raised 3rd that gives it a sharp, almost “alien” sound. On guitar, it can feel like Lydian pushed into more angular, cinematic territory.
This is not a common everyday mode like Dorian, Mixolydian, or Aeolian. It is an advanced synthetic/modal color, best used when you want something:
- Bright but tense
- Major-sounding but unstable
- Dreamy, angular, and modern
- Useful for progressive metal, fusion, film-score rock, and experimental songwriting
The mode comes from the Hungarian Major mode family and has a very distinctive interval structure.
Formula
The interval formula for C Lydian Augmented #3 is:
1 2 #3 #4 #5 6 7
In interval names:
P1 M2 A3 A4 A5 M6 M7
That means compared to a regular C major scale, you raise the 3rd, 4th, and 5th.
C major:
C D E F G A B
C Lydian Augmented #3:
C D E# F# G# A B
A quick guitar note: E# sounds the same as F on the fretboard, but it is spelled E# because it functions as a raised 3rd in this mode.
Notes in C
The notes of C Lydian Augmented #3 are:
C D E# F# G# A B
Enharmonically, on the guitar fretboard, this sounds like:
C D F F# G# A B
That half-step movement between E# / F and F# is one of the most important sounds in the mode. It creates a tight, tense color that feels very different from normal Lydian.
The Chord That Defines the Mode
The defining chord for C Lydian Augmented #3 is:
Cmaj7#5sus4(add#11)
Notes:
C E# F# G# B
Enharmonically on guitar:
C F F# G# B
This is not a normal campfire chord. It is a color chord.
Why does it define the mode?
- C gives you the tonal center.
- B gives you the major 7th, creating a bright, modern sound.
- G# gives you the augmented 5th.
- F# gives you the Lydian #4 color.
- E# / F gives the strange raised-3rd/suspended tension.
If that full chord is too dense, simplify it to:
Cmaj7#5sus4
Notes:
C E# G# B
On guitar, that sounds like:
C F G# B
You can also use a C drone or C bass note and stack upper colors like D, F#, G#, and B above it.
The key is this: avoid treating it like normal C major. There is no natural E and no natural G in the mode.
Chord Progressions
Because this mode is harmonically unusual, the best progressions are usually short vamps rather than traditional pop-style chord cycles.
Think in terms of atmosphere, riffs, and modal gravity.
Progression 1: Floating Lydian Augmented Vamp
Roman numerals:
Imaj7#5sus4(add#11) – II – Imaj7#5sus4(add#11)
Chords in C:
Cmaj7#5sus4(add#11) – D – Cmaj7#5sus4(add#11)
The D major chord contains:
D F# A
All three notes are in C Lydian Augmented #3.
This progression highlights the Lydian side of the mode because the II major chord strongly emphasizes F#, the raised 4th of C.
Mood:
- Floating
- Futuristic
- Wide open
- Great for clean arpeggios or delay-heavy guitar parts
Try letting the C chord ring while moving to D major shapes above it.
Progression 2: Smooth Prog/Fusion Movement
Roman numerals:
Imaj7#5sus4 – vii minor – II – Imaj7#5sus4
Chords in C:
Cmaj7#5sus4 – Bm – D – Cmaj7#5sus4
The Bm chord contains:
B D F#
This gives the progression a sleek, slightly mysterious sound. The movement from Bm to D feels smooth because the chords share notes, but returning to the C altered tonic makes everything feel less predictable.
Mood:
- Modern fusion
- Progressive ballad
- Cinematic rock
- Elegant but unstable
This works well with volume swells, clean chorus tones, or legato lead lines.
Progression 3: Dark Angular Metal/Fusion Vamp
Roman numerals:
Imaj7#5sus4 – #v° – #iv° – II – Imaj7#5sus4
Chords in C:
Cmaj7#5sus4 – G#dim – F#dim – D – Cmaj7#5sus4
The diminished chords come directly from the scale:
G#dim = G# B D
F#dim = F# A C
This progression brings out the darker, more aggressive side of the mode. It is excellent for progressive metal riffs, odd-meter grooves, and tense fusion lines.
Mood:
- Angular
- Dark
- Technical
- Unresolved
Try palm-muting the diminished chord tones as single-note riffs rather than strumming full chords.
Famous Songs and Guitarists Using C Lydian Augmented #3
C Lydian Augmented #3 is an obscure mode, and there are no widely known guitar songs that are clearly and famously written in this exact mode.
That is important to say honestly.
Unlike Dorian, Phrygian dominant, Lydian, or Mixolydian, this mode is not commonly referenced in mainstream guitar education or famous song analysis.
However, the sound is related to colors commonly associated with progressive and fusion players who use advanced harmony, such as:
- Allan Holdsworth — commonly associated with dense major 7, Lydian, augmented, and nontraditional chord-scale colors.
- Frank Zappa — commonly associated with unusual modal, synthetic, and angular melodic sounds.
- Steve Vai — often associated with Lydian-based rock sounds, although not specifically this exact mode.
- Joe Satriani — known for melodic Lydian colors, again not specifically this mode.
- Modern progressive metal/fusion players — may use similar altered major and augmented colors in riffs, solos, and film-score-like sections.
So instead of looking for a famous “C Lydian Augmented #3 song,” it is better to think of this mode as a specialized color for writing your own unusual sections.
Use it when standard Lydian is too pretty and you want something sharper, stranger, and more intense.
Guitar Fretboard Shape
Here is a practical C Lydian Augmented #3 shape starting around the 8th fret.
Remember: E# appears as F on the guitar.
e|-------------------------13-14-16-17-|
B|------------------12-13-15-----------|
G|------------10-11-13-14--------------|
D|-------9-10-12-----------------------|
A|-9-11-12-----------------------------|
E|-8-10-13-----------------------------|Notes included:
C D E# F# G# A B
On the fretboard:
C D F F# G# A B
Start and end phrases on C so your ear hears the mode as C-based, not as some unrelated collection of notes.
Important target notes:
- E# / F — the strange raised 3rd
- F# — the Lydian #4
- G# — the augmented 5th
- B — the bright major 7th
Those are the notes that make the mode sound like itself.
Why Guitarists Love This Mode
Emotional Flavor
C Lydian Augmented #3 sounds bright, tense, and surreal.
It does not feel sad like natural minor. It does not feel bluesy like Mixolydian. It does not even feel traditionally “happy” like major.
Instead, it feels:
- Alien
- Suspended
- Cinematic
- Hyper-modern
- Slightly uncomfortable in a cool way
This makes it perfect for moments where you want the listener to feel like the harmony has shifted into another dimension.
Riff Potential
The mode has excellent riff potential because of its unusual half-step and augmented sounds.
Useful riff cells include:
C – D – E# – F#
This gives you root, 2nd, raised 3rd, and raised 4th.
Also try:
F# – G# – A – B
That upper section has a sharp, modern sound that works well for alternate picking and legato.
For metal players, the diminished shapes are especially useful:
G# – B – D
F# – A – C
These can create dark, angular riffs while still belonging to the mode.
Soloing Applications
C Lydian Augmented #3 works well over:
- Cmaj7#5sus4
- Cmaj7#5sus4(add#11)
- C drone with upper extensions
- D/C type vamps
- Bm/C textures
- Experimental prog/fusion harmony
When soloing, avoid running the scale up and down mechanically. The mode is unusual enough that it can sound random if you do not phrase clearly.
Instead, target the character tones:
- F / E#
- F#
- G#
- B
Resolve phrases to C to keep the tonal center clear.
Genres Where It Works Well
This mode is especially useful in:
- Progressive rock
- Progressive metal
- Jazz fusion
- Instrumental guitar music
- Cinematic rock
- Experimental songwriting
- Game and film-inspired composition
- Modern home production
It is not a “default” mode. It is a special effect, but a very powerful one.
Tips for Practicing
Use a C Drone
Start with a simple C drone.
You can use:
- A synth drone
- A looper pedal
- A low C on bass
- A sustained C power texture without the 5th
Then play the scale slowly over it.
Listen carefully to how each note feels against C.
Pay special attention to:
- E# / F
- F#
- G#
- B
These notes define the color.
Try Simple Chord Vamps
Use short vamps instead of long progressions.
Good practice vamps:
Cmaj7#5sus4 – D
Cmaj7#5sus4 – Bm
C drone – D/C
C drone – G#dim/C
Let the chords breathe. This mode works best when the ear has time to absorb the tension.
Improvise with Small Motifs
Do not start by shredding the whole shape.
Instead, create 3-note or 4-note ideas.
Example:
C – D – E# – F#
Then move it rhythmically.
Another idea:
B – C – G# – F#
This highlights the major 7th, root, augmented 5th, and Lydian #4.
Target Intervals
When practicing, deliberately land on the important intervals.
Against C, target:
- #3 = E# / F
- #4 = F#
- #5 = G#
- 7 = B
These are the notes that separate C Lydian Augmented #3 from normal major, Lydian, or Lydian augmented.
If you only emphasize C, D, A, and B, the sound may not be clear enough.
Try This Mode in SLModes
Want to hear C Lydian Augmented #3 in a more musical way?
Try it in SLModes.
SLModes helps you explore modes with:
- Interactive chords
- Guitar fretboard views
- Modal modulation tools
- Scale and chord relationships
- Negative harmony experiments
For a mode this unusual, hearing the chords and seeing the fretboard at the same time makes a huge difference.
Load up C Lydian Augmented #3, drone the root, explore the chord colors, and start building riffs, vamps, and solos around its strange futuristic sound.
