Lydian Shuttle (I II)
The Lydian shuttle is the chord progression I-II. In the key of C major it is C D, and in the Nashville Number System it is written 1 2.
Chords from outside the key of C major: D.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
The major II chord contains the raised fourth, the colour note of the Lydian mode, so rocking between I and II floats and never settles. Open Music Theory warns that few pop songs stay Lydian, and that the same two chords are often really IV-V in another key. The label only holds if the II is never cancelled by a later IV or ii.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jane Says | Jane's Addiction | whole song | G A | G major |
| Man on the Moon | R.E.M. | intro and verse | C D C D | C major |
Lydian Shuttle: Chords and Audio in C, G, D, A and E
Press play to hear each key. The diagrams show the shapes used in the audio, and every chord links to its full page.
More progressions like this one
- Puff schema with major III: C E7 F
- Minor plagal cadence: Fm C
- Chromatic mediant I-bIII: C Eb
- Chromatic mediant I-III: C E
All guitar chord progressions →
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
FAQ
What are the chords of the Lydian shuttle in each key?
In C major: C D. In G major: G A. In D major: D E. In A major: A B. In E major: E F#.
Which songs use the Lydian shuttle?
Songs that use it include Jane Says by Jane's Addiction, Man on the Moon by R.E.M..
