Triads
G♯ augmented chord
Dreamy and suspenseful; the raised 5th keeps pushing forward.
- Notes
- G♯B♯D𝄪
- Formula
- 13♯5
- Built from
- root · major 3rd · augmented 5th
How to play G♯aug
About the G♯ augmented chord
Playing it
On guitar, G♯aug has an open-position shape, 432110, using four fingers alongside the open strings.
On piano, G♯aug has one black key (G♯) and two white keys.
On ukulele the usual G♯aug shape is 1003, using two fingers.
Related chords
G♯aug is symmetrical — its notes are evenly spaced — so Caug and Eaug contain exactly the same notes. There are only four different-sounding augmented chords in all.
Move a single note and G♯aug becomes a different chord: lower D𝄪 to D♯ for G♯.
Where you’ll hear it
Notice the B♯ in G♯aug (G♯ B♯ D𝄪): each note of the chord takes its own letter (G–B–D), so the major 3rd has to be written B♯ rather than C — the same key on a piano, spelled to fit the chord.
