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6.16.4 Lydian Scale, Chords, No Relative Keys
Moving on to the Lydian mode, corresponding to the white keys beginning and ending with F:
F – G – A – B – C – D – E – F
It's the same as the major scale, except with a sharp 4th.
(Remember, you can play a Lydian mode scale beginning with any note—it doesn’t have to be F—so long as you preserve the order of tones and semitones for the mode.)
The Lydian is considered a major mode. The third note of the scale forms a major third with the tonic, F – A, in the above example, with the tonic chord being F major (Figure 125).
FIGURE 125: Chord Map of Lydian Mode Circular Harmonic Scale
Of the three principal chords of the Lydian mode, two are markedly unbalanced, one of which is the rootless diminished IV chord.
In the above example, the C7 chord (the V7 chord) contains a non-modal note, B♭, so establishing true Lydian-sounding tonality is a problem.