Mixolydian and Lydian: two coloured majors – free course

Dorian showed you that a single note changes an entire atmosphere. Let's apply the same idea to major. Two major modes are essential for improvisers: Mixolydian, earthy and bluesy, and Lydian, airy and dreamy.

Mode	Formula	Example	Characteristic note	Colour
Ionian (major)	1 2 3 4 5 6 7	C: C D E F G A B	—	stable, "normal"
Mixolydian	1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7	G: G A B C D E F	minor seventh	rock, folk, funk, Celtic
Lydian	1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7	F: F G A B C D E	augmented fourth	bright, suspended, film music

Mixolydian: the major that won't resolve

Over a G7 chord, the G major scale (with F♯) sounds wrong: F♯ clashes with the chord's F. The right scale is G Mixolydian: the notes of C major played from G. F natural, the minor seventh, removes the pull of the leading note: the music happily goes round in circles without ever "concluding". Typical vamp: G – F/G (or G – F – C – G), heard in countless rock songs.

M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
K:Gmix
"G" B c d e f2 e d | "F/G" c2 A2 G4 | "G" d2 B d f e d B | "F/G" c A F2 G4 |]

Listen to the F natural on a strong beat (bar 1, beat 3): it is the "signature" of Mixolydian.

Lydian: the fourth that takes off

Lydian raises the fourth: over F you play B natural instead of B♭. This augmented fourth (a tritone above the tonic) removes the one "awkward" note of major (the fourth, which rubs against the third) and gives a feeling of weightlessness. Typical vamp: F – G/F: a G major chord over an F bass contains the B.

M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=84
K:Flyd
"F" F G A B c2 B A | "G/F" G2 B2 A4 | "F" c2 e2 d B c2 | "G/F" B4 A4 |]

Above, the G/F chord: F in the bass, G-B-D on top. Let it ring: it is the quintessential "Lydian" sound.

Exercise: two colours, one carpet

Start the modal track in G. Left hand: a low G held (with pedal if needed).
Play G Mixolydian for 8 bars. Rule: every phrase contains an F natural, and at least one phrase ends on F (the unresolved tension is intentional!).
Then play G Lydian (G A B C♯ D E F♯) for 8 bars over the same carpet. Feature the C♯.
Alternate: 4 bars Mixolydian, 4 bars Lydian. Describe out loud (or in writing) the feeling of each colour: "earthy", "floating", "joyful", "strange"… Putting words to colours helps you choose them consciously later.
Bonus: start the pop track in F and, each time the F chord comes back, slip in a B natural (Lydian) instead of B♭. A film-score colour in one note.

Beware the "false" resolution: in Mixolydian, avoid instinctively adding the leading note (F♯ in G). Your fingers, used to major, go looking for it. If you hear it, you have slipped back into G major.

Handy landmark: Mixolydian = a major scale starting on its 5th degree (G Mixolydian = the notes of C). Lydian = a major scale starting on its 4th degree (F Lydian = the notes of C). So this lesson's colours and Dorian all live on the white keys: ideal for practice.