What’s on the Lydian poster
A definition and 6 facts worth remembering.
The fourth mode of the major scale: identical to major except the fourth degree is raised a semitone, which removes the pull of the subdominant and leaves the scale suspended.
- Formula: 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7.
- F Lydian is the white keys from F.
- The ♯4 forms a tritone with the tonic.
- The II chord becomes major instead of minor.
- Brightest of all seven modes.
- Used constantly in film scores for wonder and scale.
- Degree — 4th
- Raised — the 4th
- Chords — I – II
- The Simpsons theme opens on a Lydian ♯4. So does most of John Williams.
Major and Lydian differ by one note. That note is why one sounds settled and the other sounds like flying.
Questions about the Lydian poster
- What’s on the Lydian poster?
- A definition and 6 facts worth remembering. The fourth mode of the major scale: identical to major except the fourth degree is raised a semitone, which removes the pull of the subdominant and leaves the scale suspended. Formula: 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7.; F Lydian is the white keys from F.; The ♯4 forms a tritone with the tonic.; The II chord becomes major instead of minor.; Brightest of all seven modes.; Used constantly in film scores for wonder and scale.; Degree — 4th; Raised — the 4th; Chords — I – II; The Simpsons theme opens on a Lydian ♯4. So does most of John Williams.. Major and Lydian differ by one note. That note is why one sounds settled and the other sounds like flying.
- Who is the Lydian poster for?
- Lydian belongs to the Music section rather than to a school year, because music is not something one grade owns. Anyone learning scales & modes can pin it up — a beginner, a student mid-course, or someone revising years later.
- When should you use the Lydian poster?
- Sharpen the fourth of a major scale. The tritone against the root is the sound. A wall chart earns its place by being glanceable from where the work is happening, so Lydian belongs on the wall where that music work actually happens, within glancing distance, rather than filed away.
- What other posters go with Lydian?
- The Blues Scale, Chromatic & Whole Tone and Dorian sit alongside Lydian in the Music section. Printed together they make a wall rather than a single sheet, which is how a reference set actually gets used.The Blues ScaleChromatic & Whole ToneDorian
- Is the Lydian poster free to download and print?
- Yes. Lydian downloads as a free PDF with no account, no email and no watermark, like everything else in the Music section. Print as many copies as you like for a home, a classroom, a library or a tutoring group; reselling the file is the only thing the licence rules out.Read the licence
- What size does the Lydian poster print at?
- Lydian is a vector PDF laid out for US Letter, and prints on A4 with Fit to page — the same file, no separate download. Because every mark on it is drawn rather than photographed, it stays sharp enlarged to A3, A2 or A1 at a copy shop. Colour carries emphasis only, so a greyscale print of Lydian loses nothing.Printing guide
Related posters
Charts that sit alongside Lydian on the same wall.
Browse every Music poster, or start from the full catalogue.