Triads
B augmented chord
Dreamy and suspenseful; the raised 5th keeps pushing forward.
- Notes
- BD♯F𝄪
- Formula
- 13♯5
- Built from
- root · major 3rd · augmented 5th
How to play Baug
About the B augmented chord
Playing it
On guitar, Baug has an open-position shape, x21003, using three fingers alongside the open strings. Don’t strum the low E string.
On piano, Baug has one black key (D♯) and two white keys.
On ukulele the usual Baug shape is 0332, using three fingers.
Related chords
Baug is symmetrical — its notes are evenly spaced — so E♭aug and Gaug contain exactly the same notes. There are only four different-sounding augmented chords in all.
Move a single note and Baug becomes a different chord: lower F𝄪 to F♯ for B.
Where you’ll hear it
Notice the F𝄪 in Baug (B D♯ F𝄪): each note of the chord takes its own letter (B–D–F), so the augmented 5th has to be written F𝄪 rather than G — the same key on a piano, spelled to fit the chord.
