In a descending line clichéA major
The descending line cliché: the fifth of the tonic rises a semitone, then falls into the third of the vi.
A Augmented Chord: Guitar, Piano and Notes
The A Augmented chord is built on the root note A. Its notes are A, C♯ and E♯.
Transpose
Quality
Short answer
Augmented chords feel floaty and uncertain. Raising the fifth of a major triad creates a symmetrical chord with no clear home, which suits transitions and dreamy film score moments.
- Notes
- A · C♯ · E♯
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · ♯5
- Semitones
- 0 · 4 · 8
- Note
- A
- Quality
- Augmented
- Symbol
- A+
A Augmented on piano
3 notesView:
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
To play A Augmented on piano, place your right hand with your thumb on A, middle finger on C♯ and little finger on E♯. Press the keys together and listen for an even sound. On the keyboard C♯ is a black key and A and E♯ are white. E♯ is the key you'd normally call F. Practice moving in and out of the chord slowly, then bring in a metronome.
- A1
- C♯3
- E♯♯5
A Augmented on guitar
View:
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
On guitar, A Augmented is commonly played with the voicing shown above. This one is a barre at fret 5: keep the index finger flat across the strings and curve the others so they don't mute the strings next to them.
A · C♯ · E♯
Try A Augmented on the virtual piano
Free, in your browser: play with the mouse, your computer keyboard or a USB MIDI keyboard. No sign-up.
A Augmented chord notes
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | A | |
| 3 | Major third | 4 | C♯(C#) | |
| ♯5 | Augmented fifth | 8 | E♯(E#) |
How to use the A Augmented chord
The A Augmented chord is built from a root, a major third and an augmented fifth. Start at the root A and stack the intervals to get the whole chord: A, C♯ and E♯. The same formula gives you the chord in any other key.
Augmented chords show up in jazz, bossa nova, film scores and psychedelic rock. They're often used as a brief transition chord, for example between I and vi in a major key.
How A Augmented differs from similar chords
A+ raises the fifth of A by a half step, so it stacks two major thirds and has no perfect fifth at all. That makes it the mirror image of A°, which stacks two minor thirds. Because three major thirds split the octave evenly, the same three notes form an augmented chord on each of them.
Where A Augmented is used
An augmented chord is unstable by construction: it turns up as a passing tonic inside a descending line, and as a dominant sharpened to pull harder.
As an altered dominantD major
- V+A+
- ID
Raising the fifth of the dominant sharpens its pull into D.
Scales that contain A+
These scales include A+ as one of their diatonic chords. Use them to find melodies and improvisation ideas that fit perfectly.
C♯ Harmonic Major
C♯ · D♯ · E♯ · F♯ · G♯ · A · B♯
C♯ Phrygian Dominant
C♯ · D · E♯ · F♯ · G♯ · A · B
C♯ Gypsy Major
C♯ · D · E♯ · F♯ · G♯ · A · B♯
C♯ Persian
C♯ · D · E♯ · F♯ · G · A · B♯
C♯ Hindu
C♯ · D♯ · E♯ · F♯ · G♯ · A · B
C♯ Arabian
C♯ · D♯ · E♯ · F♯ · G · A · B
F♯ Harmonic Minor
F♯ · G♯ · A · B · C♯ · D · E♯
F♯ Melodic Minor
F♯ · G♯ · A · B · C♯ · D♯ · E♯
F♯ Hungarian Minor
F♯ · G♯ · A · B♯ · C♯ · D · E♯
F♯ Neapolitan Major
F♯ · G · A · B · C♯ · D♯ · E♯
F♯ Neapolitan Minor
F♯ · G · A · B · C♯ · D · E♯
A Lydian Augmented
A · B · C♯ · D♯ · E♯ · F♯ · G♯
Questions people ask
- What notes are in the A Augmented chord?
- The A Augmented chord contains A, C♯ and E♯ (A, C# and E# in plain text).
- Is the A Augmented chord major or minor?
- A Augmented is a augmented chord. Augmented chords feel floaty and uncertain. Raising the fifth of a major triad creates a symmetrical chord with no clear home, which suits transitions and dreamy film score moments.
- How do you play A Augmented on piano?
- Place your fingers on A, C♯ and E♯ and play them together. The root usually goes to the little finger of the left hand, the upper notes to the right. On the keyboard C♯ is a black key and A and E♯ are white. E♯ is the key you'd normally call F.
- How do you play A Augmented on guitar?
- Use the fingering in the diagram above. This one is a barre at fret 5: keep the index finger flat across the strings and curve the others so they don't mute the strings next to them.
- What chords work well with A Augmented?
- A Augmented pairs naturally with the chords in the related section: a perfect fifth up or down, the relative major or minor, and anything sharing two notes with it.