Which mode is major with a raised fourth degree?

Study for the Praxis Music Content and Instruction (5114) Test. Prepare with multiple choice questions and materials, complete with explanations and clarifications. Master the content and excel in your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which mode is major with a raised fourth degree?

Explanation:
The idea being tested is a major-scale mode that has its fourth degree sharpened. The Lydian mode is exactly that: a major scale with a raised fourth. For example, C Lydian consists of C D E F# G A B C. The only difference from C major (Ionian) is that F becomes F#, so the interval from the root to the fourth is an augmented fourth instead of a perfect fourth. That raised fourth gives the distinct bright, shimmering color of Lydian. The other modes don’t feature a raised fourth: Ionian has a natural fourth, Mixolydian has a lowered seventh, and Locrian alters multiple degrees in a way that’s not about a raised fourth.

The idea being tested is a major-scale mode that has its fourth degree sharpened. The Lydian mode is exactly that: a major scale with a raised fourth.

For example, C Lydian consists of C D E F# G A B C. The only difference from C major (Ionian) is that F becomes F#, so the interval from the root to the fourth is an augmented fourth instead of a perfect fourth. That raised fourth gives the distinct bright, shimmering color of Lydian.

The other modes don’t feature a raised fourth: Ionian has a natural fourth, Mixolydian has a lowered seventh, and Locrian alters multiple degrees in a way that’s not about a raised fourth.

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