Lydian Augmented is one of the most colorful major-type modes you can play on guitar. It sounds bright, floating, futuristic, and slightly unstable.
If regular Lydian sounds dreamy because of its raised 4th, Lydian Augmented takes that dreaminess further by also raising the 5th. That #5 gives the mode an almost sci-fi, cinematic, fusion-like quality.
It is not a “home base” mode in most rock or pop music. You will hear it more often in jazz fusion, progressive music, film-score-style harmony, and modern guitar improvisation.
Lydian Augmented is the 3rd mode of melodic minor:
A melodic minor: A B C D E F# G# C Lydian Augmented: C D E F# G# A B
The important sound is this:
- Major 3rd: E
- Raised 4th: F#
- Raised 5th: G#
- Major 7th: B
That combination creates a bright but strange major sound with no perfect 5th.
Formula
The interval formula for Lydian Augmented is:
1 2 3 #4 #5 6 7
Compared to the major scale:
C major: C D E F G A B C Lydian Augmented: C D E F# G# A B
The two altered notes are:
- #4: F# instead of F
- #5: G# instead of G
That means C Lydian Augmented is like a C major scale with a raised 4th and raised 5th.
Notes in C
The notes of C Lydian Augmented are:
C D E F# G# A B
Scale degrees:
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | C |
| 2 | D |
| 3 | E |
| #4 | F# |
| #5 | G# |
| 6 | A |
| 7 | B |
For guitarists, the two notes to really hear are F# and G#.
The F# gives you the Lydian brightness. The G# gives you the augmented, unstable lift.
The Chord That Defines the Mode
The defining chord of C Lydian Augmented is:
Cmaj7#5
Notes:
C E G# B
This chord captures the essential sound because it includes:
- C: the root
- E: the major 3rd
- G#: the raised 5th
- B: the major 7th
That #5 is what separates this mode from normal C Lydian.
However, to make the mode even clearer, add the #11:
Cmaj7#5(#11)
Notes:
C E G# B F#
The #11 is the same note as the #4, which is F#.
So the most complete “this is Lydian Augmented” chord is:
Cmaj7#5(#11)
On guitar, you do not always need to play every note. A simple voicing with C, E, G#, and B is enough to imply the sound. Then you can bring out F# in the melody or solo.
Important: avoid leaning too hard on a normal G natural over C, because G is not in the C Lydian Augmented scale.
Chord Progressions
Lydian Augmented is not usually used for traditional functional progressions. It works best when the harmony keeps returning to the tonic color chord: Cmaj7#5.
Here are three useful progressions in C.
Progression 1: Floating Fusion Vamp
Roman numerals:
Imaj7#5 – II7 – Imaj7#5
Chords in C:
Cmaj7#5 – D7 – Cmaj7#5
This is one of the clearest ways to hear the mode.
The Cmaj7#5 gives you the dreamy augmented tonic sound. The D7 comes naturally from the scale:
D F# A C
That D7 chord also highlights the F#, the Lydian #4.
Mood: bright, open, modern, fusion-inspired.
Try looping this slowly and soloing with C Lydian Augmented.
Progression 2: Cinematic Major Mystery
Roman numerals:
Imaj7#5 – vi mMaj7 – II7 – Imaj7#5
Chords in C:
Cmaj7#5 – AmMaj7 – D7 – Cmaj7#5
The AmMaj7 chord comes from the same note set:
A C E G#
That G# connects beautifully back to the augmented 5th of Cmaj7#5.
This progression has a mysterious, soundtrack-like sound. It feels major, but not fully settled.
Mood: cinematic, emotional, slightly dark, futuristic.
This can work well for clean guitar arpeggios, ambient layers, or progressive rock sections.
Progression 3: Tense Progressive Rock Color
Roman numerals:
Imaj7#5 – III7 – II7 – Imaj7#5
Chords in C:
Cmaj7#5 – E7 – D7 – Cmaj7#5
Both E7 and D7 come from C Lydian Augmented:
E7 = E G# B D D7 = D F# A C
This progression has a bold, angular sound. The dominant chords do not behave like normal V-I harmony. Instead, they create color and forward motion inside the mode.
Mood: progressive, tense, bright, adventurous.
This is great for odd-meter riffs, fusion grooves, or modal solo sections.
Famous Songs and Guitarists Using C Lydian Augmented
C Lydian Augmented is not commonly the basis of famous mainstream guitar songs from start to finish. It is more often used as a chord-scale color over major 7 #5 chords, especially in jazz fusion and modern improvisation.
So it would be misleading to claim that many famous rock songs are “in Lydian Augmented” in the same way a song might be in Dorian, Mixolydian, or natural minor.
That said, the sound is commonly associated with:
- Allan Holdsworth-style fusion harmony
- Frank Gambale’s melodic minor vocabulary
- Scott Henderson-style outside/modern fusion lines
- Jazz and fusion players using melodic minor modes over maj7#5 chords
- Film composers using augmented major sounds for dreamlike or surreal harmony
Guitar-based examples are usually found more in improvisational language than in obvious radio songs.
You may hear Lydian Augmented used when a player sees a chord like:
- Cmaj7#5
- Cmaj7#5(#11)
- Cmaj7+
- Cmaj7 with an augmented color
In jazz theory, Lydian Augmented is a standard option over a maj7#5 chord.
Guitar Fretboard Shape
Here is a practical C Lydian Augmented shape starting from the 8th fret on the low E string.
Notes:
C D E F# G# A B
E|-------------------------10-12-14-|
B|-----------------10-12-13----------|
G|----------9-11-13------------------|
D|----9-10-12------------------------|
A|-9-11-12---------------------------|
E|-8-10-12---------------------------|Root notes:
- Low E string, 8th fret = C
- D string, 10th fret = C
- B string, 13th fret = C
Practice the shape slowly and listen carefully to the difference between:
- F# against C: the #4 / #11 sound
- G# against C: the #5 / augmented sound
- B against C: the major 7 tension
Those three notes are what make the mode sound special.
Why Guitarists Love This Mode
C Lydian Augmented is not an everyday mode, but that is exactly why creative guitarists love it.
Emotional Flavor
The mode sounds major, but not plain.
It has a bright emotional center because of the major 3rd and major 7th. But the #4 and #5 make it feel unstable, floating, and otherworldly.
It can sound:
- Futuristic
- Mysterious
- Dreamlike
- Elegant
- Surreal
- Fusion-heavy
If Ionian is “happy” and Lydian is “wide open,” Lydian Augmented is “glowing and weightless.”
Riff Potential
This mode is excellent for riffs that avoid normal power-chord thinking.
Because there is no perfect 5th, the usual root-5th rock sound is not the main flavor. Instead, you can build riffs from:
- C augmented triad: C E G#
- D major triad: D F# A
- E major triad: E G# B
- AmMaj7 arpeggio: A C E G#
A great trick is to alternate between C augmented and D major shapes.
That gives you both the augmented tonic and the Lydian brightness.
Soloing Applications
Lydian Augmented works beautifully over:
- Cmaj7#5
- Cmaj7#5(#11)
- C augmented major 7 sounds
- Static fusion vamps
- Modern prog sections
- Ambient clean guitar passages
It is also useful when you want a major sound that does not feel predictable.
Instead of running the scale up and down, target the character tones:
- E: major 3rd
- F#: #4
- G#: #5
- B: major 7
Those notes immediately reveal the mode.
Genres Where It Works Well
C Lydian Augmented is especially effective in:
- Jazz fusion
- Progressive rock
- Progressive metal clean sections
- Instrumental guitar music
- Film-score-inspired writing
- Ambient guitar
- Modern jazz
- Experimental songwriting
It can also work in metal if you use it for atmospheric breaks, extended chords, or lead lines over unusual harmony.
Tips for Practicing
Use a C Drone
Start with a low C drone.
You can use:
- A loop pedal
- A synth pad
- A bass note
- A DAW track
- An open C tuning drone if you use alternate tunings
Play the scale slowly over the drone and listen to each interval.
Spend extra time on:
- F# against C
- G# against C
- B against C
Do not rush. This mode becomes useful only when you can hear its color.
Create Simple Chord Vamps
Try looping these vamps:
Cmaj7#5 – D7
or:
Cmaj7#5 – AmMaj7
or even just:
Cmaj7#5 for four bars
The fewer chords you use, the easier it is to hear the mode clearly.
For home producers, try adding a soft synth pad or clean guitar delay underneath. Lydian Augmented works well with spacious textures.
Improvise with Triads
Instead of only practicing the full scale, use triads from the mode.
Try soloing with:
- C augmented: C E G#
- D major: D F# A
- E major: E G# B
- B minor: B D F#
For example, over Cmaj7#5, play a D major triad. That gives you:
D = 2 F# = #4 A = 6
That is a very Lydian sound.
Then resolve into C augmented:
C E G#
Now you are blending the Lydian and augmented parts of the mode.
Target the Important Intervals
When improvising, aim for the character tones.
Over C:
- F# = #4
- G# = #5
- B = 7
A simple melodic idea could be:
E – F# – G# – B – A – G# – E – C
This line outlines the major 3rd, #4, #5, and major 7 before resolving back to the root.
That is much more musical than just playing the scale straight up and down.
Try This Mode in SLModes
Want to explore C Lydian Augmented more deeply?
Try it in SLModes.
SLModes helps you hear and visualize modes through:
- Interactive chord options
- Guitar fretboard diagrams
- Modal modulation tools
- Scale and chord relationships
- Negative harmony exploration
For a mode like C Lydian Augmented, this is especially useful because the sound depends heavily on color tones and unusual chords.
Load up the mode, loop a Cmaj7#5 vamp, explore the fretboard, and experiment with modal modulation to hear where this bright augmented sound can take your music.
