Superlydian Augmented natural 6 Mode on Guitar: Notes, Chords & Examples

  • May 21, 2026

Superlydian Augmented ♮6 is a bright, tense, futuristic mode with a strong “fusion/prog sci-fi” flavor.

It sounds like Lydian taken to an extreme: raised 2nd, raised 4th, raised 5th, major 7th, and an unusually spelled augmented 3rd. On guitar, it creates sharp, angular lines that feel unstable but still strangely luminous.

This is not a common rock or blues mode. It is an advanced synthetic sound, best used for:

  • Progressive rock and metal riffs
  • Fusion soloing
  • Modern cinematic harmony
  • Outside playing over static vamps
  • Experimental songwriting and modal modulation

Because the mode has no normal major or minor 3rd, it does not behave like a typical “happy” or “sad” scale. Instead, it feels suspended, alien, and harmonically charged.

How does it sound?

Before anything else, let’s hear how it sounds. This can best be done by playing a chord from the mode, and playing the notes of the mode arpeggiated on top of it. This is the best and quickest way to determine the feel of a mode.

This can be quickly done using SLModes, a software dedicated to the music modes, and the following sound was generated by it:

Formula

The interval formula for Superlydian Augmented ♮6 is:

1 #2 #3 #4 #5 6 7

Using interval names:

P1 A2 A3 A4 A5 M6 M7

In plain guitar language, compared to a major scale, you raise the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th.

That gives the mode a very altered, synthetic sound.

Notes in C

C Superlydian Augmented ♮6 contains:

C D# E# F# G# A B

On guitar, you may also think of E# as F enharmonically:

C D# F F# G# A B

However, the theoretical spelling matters. The note is called E# because it functions as the augmented 3rd of the mode, not a normal perfect 4th.

That said, on the fretboard, E# and F are the same pitch.

The Chord That Defines the Mode

The defining chord for C Superlydian Augmented ♮6 is best thought of as a highly altered tonic color:

Cmaj7#5sus4(add#9, #11, 13)

A practical core voicing would be:

C F G# B

This gives you:

  • C — root
  • F / E# — augmented 3rd sound, heard like a suspended 4th on guitar
  • G# — #5, the augmented color
  • B — major 7th, giving the mode its bright modern edge

If you add more color tones, you get:

  • D# — #9 / raised 2nd color
  • F# — #11 / Lydian color
  • A — ♮6

This chord captures the sound because it avoids a normal major or minor identity. Instead, it highlights the mode’s unstable but radiant character: major 7, augmented 5, raised 4th, and raised 2nd tension.

A simple guitar voicing to try:

Cmaj7#5sus4

E|---0---  B
B|---1---  C
G|---1---  G#
D|---3---  F
A|---3---  C
E|-------

This voicing is tense, glassy, and unresolved — exactly the point.

Chord Progression (Example)

Because this is an advanced synthetic mode, the chord progressions are less “functional” than major/minor harmony. Think in terms of color, pedal tones, and atmosphere.

Roman numerals:

Imaj7#5sus4 – VII – #Vm7 – Imaj7#5sus4

In C:

Cmaj7#5sus4 – B – G#m7 – Cmaj7#5sus4

Mood:

Bright, alien, and cinematic. The B major chord gives a sharp major-7 pull back into C, while G#m7 emphasizes the #5 area of the mode.

This works well for progressive rock clean sections, fusion intros, or synth-heavy guitar arrangements.

Guitar Fretboard Shape

Here’s the mode mapped across the full fretboard, generated with my software SLModes.

The diagram shows every occurrence of the mode across the neck:

🟢 Green dots = the root note, your anchor points
🟠 Orange dots = the rest of the scale tones

Why Guitarists Love This Mode

Emotional Flavor

C Superlydian Augmented ♮6 sounds bright, unstable, and otherworldly.

It does not give you the familiar emotional categories of major, minor, Dorian, or Phrygian. Instead, it creates a floating, synthetic atmosphere.

It can sound:

  • Futuristic
  • Mysterious
  • Angular
  • Cinematic
  • Unresolved
  • “Outside” but still organized

Riff Potential

For riffs, this mode is excellent because of its tight half-step clusters and augmented shapes.

Useful note groupings include:

C - D# - E#/F - F#

This gives you a tense chromatic-like upper movement.

Another strong riff cell:

F# - G# - A - B - C

This has a sharp Lydian/augmented flavor and works well with odd meters.

Try using palm-muted low C pedal tones, then jump into fragments like:

C - F# - G# - B

That gives you root, #4, #5, and major 7 — a very strong progressive metal color.

Soloing Applications

This mode works best over static or ambiguous harmony.

Try it over:

  • Cmaj7#5sus4
  • C drone
  • C and B alternating chords
  • C pedal with upper-structure triads
  • G#m7 over C bass

Avoid using it casually over normal C major or C minor progressions. The mode contains no natural E or G, so it will clash with standard C major harmony.

That clash can be useful, but it should be intentional.

Genres Where It Works Well

C Superlydian Augmented ♮6 fits naturally into:

  • Progressive rock
  • Progressive metal
  • Jazz fusion
  • Modern instrumental guitar
  • Experimental rock
  • Cinematic scoring
  • Djent-inspired clean sections
  • Ambient guitar composition

It is especially effective when you want something brighter than diminished harmony but stranger than Lydian augmented.

Tips for Practicing

Use a C Drone

Start with a simple C drone.

You can use:

  • A looper pedal
  • A synth pad
  • A bass note in your DAW
  • An open C tuning drone
  • A sustained C power-style texture, without the G if possible

Then play the mode slowly and listen to how each note feels against C.

Pay special attention to:

  • D# against C
  • F# against C
  • G# against C
  • B against C

These are the notes that create the mode’s identity.

Try Chord Vamps

Use short vamps instead of long progressions.

Good starting vamps:

Cmaj7#5sus4 | B
Cmaj7#5sus4 | G#m7
Cmaj7#5sus4 | F#dim(maj7)

Keep the rhythm simple at first. Let your ear adjust to the sound.

Improvise with Small Cells

Do not start by shredding the whole scale.

Instead, make small melodic cells:

C - D# - F
F# - G# - A
G# - B - C
D# - F# - A - B

Repeat them rhythmically. Move them around. Sequence them in odd groupings.

This mode rewards phrasing more than speed.

Target the Important Intervals

When soloing, target the most colorful tones:

  • #2: D#
  • #4: F#
  • #5: G#
  • 6: A
  • 7: B

The root C gives the listener a home base.

The B gives you that beautiful major-7 tension.

The F# and G# give the mode its most obvious Lydian augmented sound.

If you like modes, SLModes is for you

SLModes is the software for exploring everything related to music modes.

It helps you experiment with:

  • Modal chords
  • Guitar fretboard shapes
  • Chord progressions
  • Modal modulation
  • Negative harmony ideas

If you play guitar and want to access 60+ music modes, SLModes is waiting for you

Learn more about SLModes

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