Chord Of The Week 8/8/15 - Open-position augmented chords

bigjon

A normal major triad consists of the 1st, 3rd and 5th note of the major scale, so a Cmajor triad is C E G = x320xx.

An augmented triad raises the 5th by one semitone to the #5th, so a C augmented triad is C E G# = x321xx.

The notes of an augmented triad are four semitones apart from each other, so they divide the twelve semitones of an octave evenly into three. This means that your C augmented chord can be used as an E augmented chord or a G# augmented chord, since they share the same notes.

The usual shorthand for an augmented chord is a plus sign, so C augmented is notated as C+.

Here are the 5 CAGED shapes for augmented chords in open position

C+: x32110

A+: x03221

G+: 321003

E+: 032110

D+: xx0332

And here is an open-position chord for each of the twelve root-notes - 

A+: x03221

Bb+: x10332

B+: x21003

C+: x32110

Db+/A: x03221

D+: xx0332

E+: 032110

F+/A: x03221

Gb+: 2x0332

G+: 321003

Ab+: 4x2110

bigjon

Chord Of The Week Index updated with 105 discussions at

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/598/chord-of-the-week-index

viz

Very common in melodic minor modes, which have unbroken runs of 4 tones. Nice.

bigjon

viz said:

Very common in melodic minor modes, which have unbroken runs of 4 tones. Nice.

So they do! I don't think I'd clocked that before!

viz

yep, as can be seen on my funny melodic minor keyboard with its 4 black notes next to each other