D Lydian aug ♯2 Scale
D Lydian aug ♯2 contains 7 notes: D, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C♯. It has 5 sharps: E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯, C♯. The step pattern is W+H–H–W–W–H–W–H.
An extremely bright, ethereal mode with three raised degrees (#2, #4, #5). It sounds detached from conventional tonality — like pure ascending light. Rarely used in practice but powerful for brief coloristic moments.
The formula is 1, #2, 3, #4, #5, 6, 7. Three sharped degrees create a maximally bright, ascending quality that represents the theoretical ceiling of brightness in the harmonic major family. The #2, #4, and #5 all push upward relentlessly.
Best deployed as a brief shimmering passage in film scoring or contemporary composition. Use harmonic major shapes rooted on the 6th degree. The extreme brightness means a little goes a long way — one or two bars is usually enough.