C Lydian and Metal style - backing track lesson.
Lydian is often used in the heavy metal genre. This lesson demonstrates how the C Lydian mode can be used for lead playing over a progression based on the C Lydian as well. The diagram below shows the "first position" of the scale. There are five different main shapes for a certain scale. Lesson instructions is found further down the page.
To be able to use the Lydian mode as a tool for lead playing in the heavy metal genre and in overall increase the understanding of relationships between chords and notes in a Lydian mode context.
Instructions
The C Lydian scale (see diagram above) can be used over the whole jam track – the notes belonging to the scale matches all chords in the progressions. Of course, just playing through the scale at random won't make a great solo. One step to make it sound great is to use target notes by choosing notes from the scale depending on which chords are played. For example, when the progression changes to D/C one possible target note is F# (the 3rd of D major chord). Another method to keep away from aimlessly hitting the notes of the scale is to omit on or two, either for the whole track or from phrases. A suggestion is to skip the G note primarily since it isn’t included in several of the chords. Notice also that the F# may sound dissonant (not always bad thing in metal though) over the C, Am and Em9 chords.
Instead of relying on the C Lydian scale, arpeggios can be used. This approach could involve C Major arpeggio over the C chord, D Major arpeggio over D/C chord and so on. Arpeggios can be used instead for or combined with the scale.
If you are more familiar with the Minor Pentatonic shapes over the fingerboard, instead for C Lydian, there is an option to use B Pentatonic Minor add C (Bm Pentatonic includes the tones B - D - E - F# - A and to that C is added). Notice that the G tone is only included in two of the chords in the track: C and Em9.
