Triads
C♯ augmented chord
Dreamy and suspenseful; the raised 5th keeps pushing forward.
- Notes
- C♯E♯G𝄪
- Formula
- 13♯5
- Built from
- root · major 3rd · augmented 5th
How to play C♯aug
About the C♯ augmented chord
Playing it
On guitar, the usual C♯aug shape is x-x-11-10-10-9 at the 9th fret. It has no open strings, so it’s a movable shape — slide it along the neck for other augmented chords. Don’t strum the low E and A strings.
On piano, C♯aug has one black key (C♯) and two white keys.
On ukulele the usual C♯aug shape is 2110, using three fingers.
Related chords
C♯aug is symmetrical — its notes are evenly spaced — so Faug and Aaug contain exactly the same notes. There are only four different-sounding augmented chords in all.
Move a single note and C♯aug becomes a different chord: lower G𝄪 to G♯ for C♯.
Where you’ll hear it
Notice the E♯ in C♯aug (C♯ E♯ G𝄪): each note of the chord takes its own letter (C–E–G), so the major 3rd has to be written E♯ rather than F — the same key on a piano, spelled to fit the chord.
