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Lydian I–II–IV–I

Imaj7 – II7 – IVmaj7 – Imaj7 — Dreamy Lydian colour from the major II chord.

Chord shapes in G major (standard tuning)

Using a different tuning? Open it in the Looper — it finds playable shapes for whatever tuning you choose.

How the chords work

Written in Roman numerals, this progression is Imaj7 – II7 – IVmaj7 – Imaj7 — in C major that is Cmaj7 – D7 – Fmaj7 – Cmaj7. Each numeral is a step of the scale; upper case is a major chord, lower case minor.

• Imaj7 — the home chord — the progression feels finished when it lands here.
• II7 — a major II — the "V of V", brightening the way to V.
• IVmaj7 — a bright, open chord a fourth above home — the "amen" chord.

Lydian I–II–IV–I in all 12 keys

Practice ideas

• Beginners: play one strum per chord and say the chord names out loud, then two strums, then a steady down-down-up-up-down-up pattern.
• Change keys with a capo: keep the G major shapes and move a capo up — the capo calculator shows which fret gives the key you want.
• Solo over it: loop it in the Looper and improvise with the G major pentatonic or G major scale — the scale pages show every position and play a backing track.
• Train your ear: the progression ear trainer mixes this with similar progressions until you can tell them apart.

Similar progressions

• Montgomery-Ward bridge (I7–IV–II7–V) I7 – IV – II7 – V
• Lydian vamp (I–II) I – II
• I–♭VI–IV–I I – ♭VI – IV – I
• Bird blues (Parker changes) Imaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7 – II7 – v7 – I7 – IV7 – iv7 – ♭VII7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – ♭III7 – ii7 – V7
• Secondary dominant (I–II7–IV–I) I – II7 – IV – I
• I–II7–IV–I I – II7 – IV – I

← I–vii°–I passing · I–♭VII–♭VI–♭VII →

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