If you have ever wondered how such an ugly sounding chord can be used in musical composition, well today's lesson will reveal all. I have included all the resources from the augmented chord reference page (chord shapes, profile and audio sample) to save you juggling two pages.

0. Contents
1. When & why to use augmented chords
2. Augmented chord profile
3. Augmented chord voicing's
4. Example augmented chord usage
5. Summary
6. Related lessons & resources

When & Why To Use Augmented Chords

Augmented chords are most often used as a passing chord between to other chords, no more than a whole step/tone apart, and usually for brief periods of time. For example: AMA⁷ to BMA⁷, well we could place a B⁺ in between those two chords which has the effect of smoothing out the transition, and adding color and depth to the musical piece.

The same can be done to the chords Dmi⁷ to EMA⁷, we could place a D⁺ in between them which again smooth's out the transition and adds something different to the progression.

In terms of why to use an augmented chord, well try and think of it as another tool in your toolbox that you can use in your compositions, adding color, depth and more importantly, something different.

Augmented Chord Profile

An augmented chord can be thought of as a major triad with a augmented (raised) fifth degree or 5. Augmented chords are classed as dissonant and unstable, which means they are wanting to resolve, but not necessarily to the root. A strange thing about augmented chords is that the triad can be inverted, but it will always produce the same chord. For instance: a C augmented chord is made up of the notes C-E-G, but the same notes belong to the chords E⁺ and G⁺ which means they are enharmonic to one another.

Intervals	root/1st, major 3rd, augmented 5th or R/1-3-5
Stability	Dissonant / Unstable / Unresolved
Grouping Class	Triad
Common Names (examples in C)	C, Caug, C5, C(5)

Augmented Chord Voicing's

Try to memorize all of the augmented chord voicing's below as it's handy to have them up your sleeve.

The chord voicing's below are not shown in any particular key, they are shapes which can be moved around the guitar neck freely using the root note (circled dot) as your navigator. See example below.

• How to use
• As an example, let's say you require a D major chord
• After playing all the chord voicing's, you decide on voicing #2
• Voicing #2 has it's root on the 5^th string so you need to find the D note on this string
• Click the notes on the neck chart tab and find the D note on the 5^th fret (5^th string)
• Now play D major using voicing #2 on the 5^th fret
• Use the Octave chart tab to help you remember which notes are where
• Use the Chord chart help tab if your a beginner at reading chord boxes

Augmented Chord Audio Sample(s)

To download audio sample(s) for later listening, right click on the MP3 link, then from the context menu that appears select Save Target As (Internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Firefox).

Audio Sample Name	Flash	MP3
C Augmented Chord voicing #1		c-augmented-chord-voicing-1.mp3

Example Augmented Chord Usage

Below is a light Jazzy progression that incorporates an augmented chord in between the change from D⁶ to EMA⁷ with a C⁺. If you don't want to learn the chords then just play the audio sample below this chart to hear what the change sounds like, but I do recommend learning the chords as it can only help to reinforce what we have already learned in this lesson.

To download audio sample(s) for later listening, right click on the MP3 link, then from the context menu that appears select Save Target As (Internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Firefox).

Audio Sample Name	Flash	MP3
example Augmented Chord Progression #1		example-augmented-chord-progression-1.mp3

 

This is an example of using an augmented chord as in introduction to a musical piece. A lot of old time songs used this method (The Platters etc) where they would just play a V⁺ chord in place of the regular V⁷.

To download audio sample(s) for later listening, right click on the MP3 link, then from the context menu that appears select Save Target As (Internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Firefox).

Audio Sample Name	Flash	MP3
Example Turnaround Using An Augmented V Chord		example-augmented-chord-progression-2.mp3

Summary

Well I hope this lesson has de-mystified the augmented chord and it's usage for you, learning new ways to expand your musical horizons is a lot of fun.

Cheers & enjoy!

Related Lessons & Resources

• Guitar Lessons
• • Barre chords part 1
  • Twelve bar blues
• Guitar Chords
• • Augmented chord

External Resources

• Augmented chord at Wikipedia.org