Harmonic MinorDegree 6

Lydian ♯2

Bright gold with ultraviolet edges. Familiar Lydian radiance pushed into alien territory.

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Scale NotesLydian ♯2 in C
C
D♯
E
F♯
G
A
B
Interval Formula
1♯23♯4567
Primary Chord
The tonic chord built from this mode
Cmaj7

Chord Tones

CEGB

All Diatonic Chords

Cmaj7D♯dim7Em(maj7)F♯m7Gmaj7♯5Am7Bm7♭5
Chord Voicings
Guitar voicings for Cmaj7
Cmaj77Root, major 3rd, major 7th. The essential jazz maj7 shell. just three notes that outline the entire chord quality.
Cmaj7Root, major 3rd, major 7th. Compact 5th-string-root shell voiced on three inner strings.
Cmaj7Full four-note drop-2 voicing. Root, 5th, 7th, 3rd spread across four strings for a rich, open sound.
Fretboard

Lydian ♯2 in C

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RootCharacteristic toneScale tone
Listen
Audio. Lydian ♯2 in C
Tempo:
180 BPM

Musical Context

Diatonic Context
Chords built from the E harmonic minor scale — click any chord for voicings
Where to Use Lydian ♯2
Primary Chord
Cmaj7
Function
Subdominant Substitute
Key Context
The VI chord in E harmonic minor

Lydian stretched even further with a ♯2.

Related Chord Voicings
Extensions, substitutions, and simplifications for Cmaj7

Extensions

Substitutions

Simplified Voicings

Example Progressions
Progressions where Lydian ♯2 applies (in C)
VI
VI: Cmaj7

Static major 7th chord with Lydian color.

Practice in Play Along →
VI → III⁺ → ii° → VI
VI: Cmaj7III⁺: Gmaj7♯5ii°: F♯m7♭5VI: Cmaj7

A simple I-V-IV-I made exotic by the ♯2 and ♯4 of Lydian ♯2 (mode VI of harmonic minor).

Practice in Play Along →
Arpeggio Connection
The arpeggio that matches the Cmaj7 chord
Major 7th
Cmaj7
Tones
C
R
E
3
G
5
B
7
Highlighted = guide tones (define chord quality)

Sound

Lydian stretched even further with a ♯2. The augmented 2nd at the bottom creates an exotic, angular quality on top of Lydian's usual brightness. It sounds like Lydian viewed through a warped lens. bright but strange.

Practical Use Cases

  • ●Over maj7 chords in harmonic minor contexts
  • ●Creating unusual, angular major sounds
  • ●Exotic Lydian variation
  • ●Composition and arranging rather than typical improvisation

Practical Notes

The sixth mode of harmonic minor. The ♯2 (same note as ♭3, but functions as an augmented 2nd) creates an unusual half-step cluster between ♯2 and 3 that's hard to navigate melodically. This is more of a theoretical/compositional tool than a practical improvisation scale for most players. If you encounter a situation where it fits, it'll be because you're deeply inside harmonic minor harmony. Not a priority for most guitarists.

majorexoticharmonic-minor-familyadvancedangular

Practice Drills

Ascending & Descending in One PositionBeginnerTechnique
5 min

Play the mode ascending and descending within a single five-fret box. Build muscle memory and connect the sound to the shape.

Three-Notes-Per-String PatternsIntermediateTechnique
10 min

Play the mode using three notes on every string, stretching across the neck. Great for building legato technique and hearing the scale in a linear way.

Emphasize Characteristic Tones on Strong BeatsIntermediateImprovisation
10 min

Create short melodic phrases that land the mode's characteristic tone(s) on beats 1 and 3. This trains you to bring out the sound that defines the mode.

Improvise Over a Matching ChordBeginnerImprovisation
5 min

Play the mode's parent chord as a loop (or use a backing track) and improvise over it for two minutes. This connects the mode to its harmonic context.

Create 3 Licks Using Only Strings 1–3IntermediateImprovisation
10 min

Compose three short licks (2–4 beats each) using only the top three strings. This forces creativity within a constraint and builds upper-register vocabulary.

Resolve from Tension to StabilityIntermediateEar Training
8 min

Practice approaching chord tones from a half step above or below, training your ear to hear tension resolve.

Try Lydian ♯2 in Play Along

Practice improvising over real chord changes with guided scale and target note suggestions.

Related Modes

LydianLydian AugmentedLydian Dominant

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