In a descending line clichéG major
The descending line cliché: the fifth of the tonic rises a semitone, then falls into the third of the vi.
G Augmented Chord: Guitar, Piano and Notes
The G Augmented chord is built on the root note G. Its notes are G, B and D♯.
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
- G · B · D♯
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · ♯5
- Semitones
- 0 · 4 · 8
- Note
- G
- Quality
- Augmented
- Symbol
- G+
G 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 G Augmented on piano, place your right hand with your thumb on G, middle finger on B and little finger on D♯. Press the keys together and listen for an even sound. On the keyboard D♯ is a black key and G and B are white. Practice moving in and out of the chord slowly, then bring in a metronome.
- G1
- B3
- D♯♯5
G Augmented on guitar
View:
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
On guitar, G Augmented is commonly played with the voicing shown above. This one is a barre at fret 3: keep the index finger flat across the strings and curve the others so they don't mute the strings next to them.
G · B · D♯
Try G Augmented on the virtual piano
Free, in your browser: play with the mouse, your computer keyboard or a USB MIDI keyboard. No sign-up.
G Augmented chord notes
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | G | |
| 3 | Major third | 4 | B | |
| ♯5 | Augmented fifth | 8 | D♯(D#) |
How to use the G Augmented chord
The G Augmented chord is built from a root, a major third and an augmented fifth. Start at the root G and stack the intervals to get the whole chord: G, B and D♯. 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 G Augmented differs from similar chords
G+ raises the fifth of G by a half step, so it stacks two major thirds and has no perfect fifth at all. That makes it the mirror image of G°, 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 G 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 dominantC major
- V+G+
- IC
Raising the fifth of the dominant sharpens its pull into C.
Scales that contain G+
These scales include G+ as one of their diatonic chords. Use them to find melodies and improvisation ideas that fit perfectly.
C♯ Arabian
C♯ · D♯ · E♯ · F♯ · G · A · B
E Harmonic Minor
E · F♯ · G · A · B · C · D♯
E Melodic Minor
E · F♯ · G · A · B · C♯ · D♯
E Hungarian Minor
E · F♯ · G · A♯ · B · C · D♯
E Neapolitan Major
E · F · G · A · B · C♯ · D♯
E Neapolitan Minor
E · F · G · A · B · C · D♯
F♯ Neapolitan Major
F♯ · G · A · B · C♯ · D♯ · E♯
G Lydian Augmented
G · A · B · C♯ · D♯ · E · F♯
G Enigmatic
G · A♭ · B · C♯ · D♯ · E♯ · F♯
A Lydian Dominant
A · B · C♯ · D♯ · E · F♯ · G
B Harmonic Major
B · C♯ · D♯ · E · F♯ · G · A♯
B Phrygian Dominant
B · C · D♯ · E · F♯ · G · A
Questions people ask
- What notes are in the G Augmented chord?
- The G Augmented chord contains G, B and D♯ (G, B and D# in plain text).
- Is the G Augmented chord major or minor?
- G 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 G Augmented on piano?
- Place your fingers on G, B and D♯ 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 D♯ is a black key and G and B are white.
- How do you play G Augmented on guitar?
- Use the fingering in the diagram above. This one is a barre at fret 3: 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 G Augmented?
- G 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.