The short version
- Aaug is A augmented. Its notes are A, C♯ and E♯ (sounds as F) (formula 1 – 3 – ♯5).
- Easiest way to play it: the open shape, frets x 0 3 2 2 1 from low E to high E (x = don’t play).
- It sounds unsettled, dreamy, about-to-happen. Use it for one beat between the I chord and the IV or vi chord. It makes the change slide instead of step.
- Aaug isn’t in any major or natural-minor key on its own. It’s a borrowed chord: you drop it in for colour or as a passing chord.
- Try it in: A – Aaug – D – Dm, a chromatic slide straight out of a 1960s ballad.
How to play Aaug on guitar, step by step
Start with the shape marked “Start here” above: the open chord, the easiest way in.
- Put your index finger on fret 1 of the 1st (high E) string.
- Put your middle finger on fret 2 of the 3rd (G) string.
- Put your ring finger on fret 2 of the 2nd (B) string.
- Put your little finger on fret 3 of the 4th (D) string.
- Let the A string ring open.
- Don’t play the low E string: skip it, or touch it lightly with a spare finger so it can’t ring.
- Strum from the 5th (A) string down, then press Strum on this page to check it sounds the same.
Once that’s comfy, try the other shape. Shape 2 is the movable shape, root on the 6th string (5th fret): 5 x 7 6 6 x. Same chord, different spot on the neck, which helps when the next chord lives nearby.
Buzzing? Press just behind the fret wire, not in the middle of the fret, and come down on your fingertips so they don’t touch the next string. Then press Strum and play along: if yours sounds duller, one string is muted somewhere.
Notes in the Aaug chord
Aaug is built from 3 notes. On guitar you’ll often play some of them twice, on different strings. That’s normal; the chord is still Aaug.
| Note | Interval | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1 root | Names the chord and anchors the bass. |
| C♯ | 3 major third | Makes it major (happy). |
| E♯ (sounds as F) | ♯5 augmented fifth | The “something’s about to happen” bit. |
What Aaug sounds like, and when to use it
A major chord with its fifth pushed up a semitone. Unsettled and dreamy, like the moment before a plot twist. Use it for one beat between the I chord and the IV or vi chord. It makes the change slide instead of step.
What key is Aaug in?
Aaug isn’t in any major or natural-minor key on its own. It’s a borrowed chord: you drop it in for colour or as a passing chord.
Chords that go with Aaug
Here’s a progression to try: A – Aaug – D – Dm (I–I+–IV–iv), a chromatic slide straight out of a 1960s ballad.
More progressions → Transpose it →
Using Aaug in a Suno prompt
Suno pays attention to chord names in a style prompt, at least some of the time. Put the progression in, keep the BPM, and let it fill in the rest. Then compare its guitar part with the shapes above.
Psychedelic pop, 96 BPM, chord progression A – Aaug – D – Dm, augmented passing chords, chromatic guitar line, swirling organ, whimsical 60s vocals
Aaug chord FAQ
What notes are in the Aaug chord?
Aaug has 3 notes: A (the root), C♯ (the major third) and E♯ (sounds as F) (the augmented fifth). The chord formula is 1 – 3 – ♯5.
How do you play Aaug on guitar?
The easy way is open chord. Strings from low E to high E: x 0 3 2 2 1 (x means don’t play that string). Put your index finger on fret 1 of the 1st (high E) string. Put your middle finger on fret 2 of the 3rd (G) string. Put your ring finger on fret 2 of the 2nd (B) string. Put your little finger on fret 3 of the 4th (D) string. Let the A string ring open. Don’t play the low E string: skip it, or touch it lightly with a spare finger so it can’t ring.
What does the “aug” in Aaug mean?
It tells you the chord type: Aaug is A augmented. A major chord with its fifth pushed up a semitone. Unsettled and dreamy, like the moment before a plot twist.
What key is Aaug in?
Aaug isn’t in any major or natural-minor key on its own. It’s a borrowed chord: you drop it in for colour or as a passing chord.
What is the difference between Aaug and A?
A has a perfect fifth (E). Aaug raises it a semitone to E♯, which makes the chord sound unsettled and dreamy.
What chords go well with Aaug?
Try A, D, F♯m and A6. The progression A – Aaug – D – Dm (I–I+–IV–iv) is a chromatic slide straight out of a 1960s ballad. Press Play progression on this page to hear it.
Other augmented chords
Got the chord? Now write the song
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