Lydian Augmented Dominant Mode on Guitar: Notes, Chords & Examples

  • May 21, 2026

The Lydian Augmented Dominant mode is a bright, tense, futuristic dominant sound.

It has the open, floating quality of Lydian because of the #4, the unstable color of an augmented scale because of the #5, and the bluesy/fusion pull of a dominant 7th because of the b7.

On guitar, this mode sounds:

  • Modern
  • Sharp and colorful
  • Dominant but not traditional
  • Fusion-friendly
  • Progressive and slightly “alien”

If regular Mixolydian sounds earthy and bluesy, Lydian Augmented Dominant sounds like Mixolydian sent through a sci-fi jazz-fusion filter.

It is not a basic rock mode, but it is extremely useful for progressive rock, metal, fusion, film-score harmony, and advanced songwriting.

Formula

The interval formula for C Lydian Augmented Dominant is:

1 2 3 #4 #5 6 b7

Compared to C major:

C major: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

C Lydian Augmented Dominant: 1 2 3 #4 #5 6 b7

The important color tones are:

  • #4 = Lydian brightness
  • #5 = augmented tension
  • b7 = dominant sound

This combination creates a mode that feels bright, unstable, and unresolved in a very musical way.

Notes in C

The notes of C Lydian Augmented Dominant are:

C D E F# G# A Bb

Interval spelling:

Scale DegreeNote
1C
2D
3E
#4F#
#5G#
6A
b7Bb

Notice that there is no natural 5th.

Instead of G, you get G#, which gives the mode its augmented flavor.

The Chord That Defines the Mode

The defining chord of C Lydian Augmented Dominant is:

C7#5#11

You can also think of it as:

C9#5#11 or C13#5#11

The core chord tones are:

C E G# Bb

That gives you:

  • C = root
  • E = major 3rd
  • G# = augmented 5th / #5
  • Bb = minor 7th / b7

Then the Lydian color comes from:

F# = #11

So the full sound is:

C E G# Bb D F# A

That is essentially a C13#5#11 sound.

This chord captures the mode because it includes the three most important ingredients:

  • Major 3rd for dominant quality
  • #5 for augmented tension
  • #11 for Lydian brightness
  • b7 for dominant instability

On guitar, even a smaller voicing works well:

C7#5#11

E|---2---  F#  (#11)
B|---1---  C   (root)
G|---1---  G#  (#5)
D|---2---  E   (3)
A|---3---  C   (root)
E|-------

You do not always need every extension. If the chord gives you C, E, G#, Bb, and F#, the modal sound is clear.

Chord Progressions

Because this mode is advanced and unstable, it often works best in vamps rather than traditional functional progressions.

The goal is to keep C feeling like home while using chords that highlight the mode’s special notes.

Progression 1: Dominant Fusion Vamp

Roman numerals:

I7#5#11 – II7 – I7#5#11

In C:

C7#5#11 – D7 – C7#5#11

This is a strong fusion-style vamp.

The C7#5#11 gives you the full modal identity, while D7 brings out the notes D, F#, A, and C.

Those notes are all inside the mode.

Mood:

  • Bright
  • Tense
  • Jazzy
  • Great for legato fusion soloing

Try playing a C drone underneath this progression to keep the harmony centered on C.

Progression 2: Cinematic Dominant Color

Roman numerals:

I7#5#11 – bVIImaj7#5 – II7 – I7#5#11

In C:

C7#5#11 – Bbmaj7#5 – D7 – C7#5#11

This progression sounds wide, cinematic, and slightly surreal.

The Bbmaj7#5 chord comes from the b7 degree of the mode:

Bb D F# A

That chord contains the important color tones:

  • Bb = b7
  • F# = #4
  • A = 6

Mood:

  • Expansive
  • Modern
  • Progressive
  • Good for clean arpeggios or ambient guitar layers

This one works well for progressive rock intros, fusion breakdowns, or soundtrack-style writing.

Progression 3: Dark Lydian Tension Vamp

Roman numerals:

I7#5#11 – #ivø7 – II7 – I7#5#11

In C:

C7#5#11 – F#m7b5 – D7 – C7#5#11

The F#m7b5 chord is built from the #4 of the mode:

F# A C E

This chord strongly emphasizes the Lydian side of the sound.

Against a C tonal center, F#m7b5 feels tense and suspended. It does not resolve in a normal major/minor way, which makes it excellent for progressive metal and fusion.

Mood:

  • Suspended
  • Technical
  • Mysterious
  • Great for odd-meter riffing

Try palm-muted low C riffs while letting the upper harmony move through these chords.

Famous Songs and Guitarists Using C Lydian Augmented Dominant

This is an important place to be honest:

C Lydian Augmented Dominant is not commonly associated with many famous guitar songs as a clearly identifiable “main mode.”

It is a specialized synthetic/modal color, more often used as a chord-scale choice over dominant chords like:

  • 7#5#11
  • 9#5#11
  • 13#5#11
  • Augmented dominant chords

You may hear similar sounds in jazz fusion, modern progressive music, and advanced improvisation.

Guitarists commonly associated with related dominant, Lydian, augmented, and outside-fusion colors include:

  • Allan Holdsworth
  • Scott Henderson
  • Frank Gambale
  • Guthrie Govan
  • John McLaughlin
  • Wayne Krantz

However, it would be misleading to claim that a specific famous rock song is definitively “in C Lydian Augmented Dominant” unless the harmony clearly supports that mode.

A safer way to use it is this:

If you see or write a chord like C7#5#11, this mode is a strong melodic option.

It is especially useful when you want a dominant sound that is more colorful than Mixolydian and less dark than the Altered scale.

Guitar Fretboard Shape

Here is a practical C Lydian Augmented Dominant shape around the 8th position.

Notes:

C D E F# G# A Bb

e|-------------------------10-12-14-|
B|------------------10-11-13--------|
G|-------------9-11-13--------------|
D|-------8-10-12--------------------|
A|-9-11-12--------------------------|
E|-8-10-12--------------------------|

Starting note:

  • Low E string, 8th fret = C

This shape is great for:

  • Fusion legato
  • Three-note-per-string runs
  • Wide interval sequences
  • Modal riff writing
  • Soloing over C7#5#11 vamps

Important target notes:

C  = root
E  = major 3rd
F# = #4 / #11
G# = #5
Bb = b7

If you want the mode to sound clear, do not just run the scale up and down.

Pause on F#, G#, and Bb.

Those notes define the sound.

Why Guitarists Love This Mode

Emotional Flavor

C Lydian Augmented Dominant has a rare emotional mix.

It is bright, but not happy.

It is dominant, but not bluesy in the usual way.

It is tense, but not fully dark.

That makes it perfect when you want something that feels:

  • Futuristic
  • Sophisticated
  • Unstable
  • Powerful
  • Harmonically rich

The #4 gives it lift.

The #5 gives it danger.

The b7 gives it motion.

Together, those tones create a mode that wants to move, bend, and transform.

Riff Potential

For progressive rock and metal players, this mode is excellent for riffs that avoid normal minor-scale clichés.

Try building riffs around:

C - E - F# - G# - Bb

That gives you:

  • Root
  • Major 3rd
  • #4
  • #5
  • b7

This immediately sounds more unusual than standard minor pentatonic or natural minor riffing.

You can also use the augmented movement:

C - E - G#

That is a C augmented triad.

Then add:

Bb - F#

Now the riff starts to sound like a true Lydian Augmented Dominant idea.

Soloing Applications

This mode works beautifully over:

  • C7#5#11
  • C9#5#11
  • C13#5#11
  • Static dominant fusion vamps
  • Progressive dominant riffs
  • Lydian-style pedal tones with altered upper extensions

It is especially useful when you want dominant tension without using the full Altered scale.

Compared to the Altered scale, Lydian Augmented Dominant sounds more open because it has:

  • Natural 2
  • Natural 6
  • #4

That gives it a more spacious, modern sound.

Genres Where It Works Well

C Lydian Augmented Dominant fits naturally in:

  • Jazz fusion
  • Progressive rock
  • Progressive metal
  • Modern jazz guitar
  • Film/game music
  • Experimental songwriting
  • Instrumental guitar music
  • Math rock harmony
  • Advanced funk/fusion vamps

It is not usually a “campfire chord progression” mode.

It is a color mode for players who want tension, sophistication, and surprise.

Tips for Practicing

Practice Over a C Drone

Start with a low C drone.

You can use:

  • A looper pedal
  • A synth drone
  • A bass note in your DAW
  • An open C tuning drone
  • A sustained C power chord without the 5th

Then slowly play:

C D E F# G# A Bb C

Listen carefully to how each note feels against C.

Pay special attention to:

  • E = stable major color
  • F# = floating Lydian tension
  • G# = augmented instability
  • Bb = dominant pull

Use Simple Chord Vamps

Do not start with complicated harmony.

Try one-chord vamps first:

C7#5#11

Then try two-chord vamps:

C7#5#11 - D7

Or:

C7#5#11 - F#m7b5

Keep the rhythm simple and focus on hearing the mode.

Improvise With Small Motifs

Instead of running the whole scale, create short phrases.

Example motif:

C - E - F# - G#

Another:

Bb - A - G# - F# - E

Another:

E - G# - Bb - F#

Repeat the idea in different rhythms.

This makes your solo sound intentional instead of like a scale exercise.

Target the Important Intervals

To make the mode obvious, target these tones:

  • 3 = E
  • #4 = F#
  • #5 = G#
  • b7 = Bb

A strong phrase might resolve to E, then leap to F#, then bend or slide into G#.

For example:

E - F# - G# - Bb - A - G# - F#

That line clearly shows the mode’s bright, augmented dominant sound.

Try This Mode in SLModes

Want to explore C Lydian Augmented Dominant more deeply?

Try it in SLModes.

SLModes helps you hear and visualize modes through:

  • Interactive chord options
  • Guitar fretboard layouts
  • Modal modulation tools
  • Scale-degree exploration
  • Negative harmony experiments
  • Practical harmonic relationships

For a mode as colorful as C Lydian Augmented Dominant, hearing the chords and seeing the fretboard connections makes a huge difference.

Load the mode, loop a C7#5#11 vamp, and start targeting the #4, #5, and b7.

That is where the sound comes alive.