Triads
A augmented chord
Dreamy and suspenseful; the raised 5th keeps pushing forward.
- Notes
- AC♯E♯
- Formula
- 13♯5
- Built from
- root · major 3rd · augmented 5th
How to play Aaug
About the A augmented chord
Playing it
On guitar, Aaug has an open-position shape, x03221, using four fingers alongside the open strings. Don’t strum the low E string.
On piano, Aaug has one black key (C♯) and two white keys.
On ukulele the usual Aaug shape is 2110, using three fingers.
Related chords
Aaug is symmetrical — its notes are evenly spaced — so C♯aug and Faug contain exactly the same notes. There are only four different-sounding augmented chords in all.
Move a single note and Aaug becomes a different chord: lower E♯ to E for A.
Where you’ll hear it
Notice the E♯ in Aaug (A C♯ E♯): each note of the chord takes its own letter (A–C–E), so the augmented 5th has to be written E♯ rather than F — the same key on a piano, spelled to fit the chord.
