Progressive Rock Guitarists

This week's first example shows you the E Lydian mode over the first and second strings. The Lydian scale is also referred to as a mode. The Lydian scale is the fourth mode in the harmonized major scale. Its distinctive and sometimes exotic sound comes from the raised 4th in the scale. The Lydian scale steps are as follows; root, maj 2nd, maj 3rd, #4, perfect 5th, maj 6th, maj 7th. If you compare the major scale to the Lydian, the only thing different is the #4th. The E Lydian is the fourth mode in the B major scale. You can combine these two scales together anytime while improvising. In today's lick, the notes where the tonality of the Lydian mode shine through are located at the 11th fret of the first and second strings, and the 6th fret of the first string. When improvising on your own over the looping jam track, listen to these notes closely by landing on them and sustaining them to bring out the subtleties of the Lydian. 

Learn this lick and then practice to