A Augmented Fifth Guitar Chord (Aaug) | Easy Ways to Play It
Welcome to our tutorial on the A aug chord, a member of the Augmented Chords family. This chord is composed of the notes A, C#, and E# and is built using the intervals 1, 3, and #5, also known as the Root, Major Third, and Augmented Fifth.
Augmented chords are unique and can add an interesting flair to your music. The A aug chord, in particular, is a vibrant and distinctive chord that can bring a new dimension to your sound. This tutorial will guide you through how to play this chord with the help of chord diagrams and fretboard patterns. You'll learn how these tones come together to form the A aug chord and how to incorporate it into your playing.
Before we dive in, it could be useful to have a solid understanding of how chords are denoted depending on the intervals that compose them. This will assist you in understanding the structure of the A aug chord better. Additionally, our tutorial about fretboard intervals can provide a deeper understanding of the relationships between the notes on the fretboard.
For those interested in building their own chords, our tutorial that teaches how to build chords by stacking intervals can be a great resource. This will not only enhance your understanding of the A aug chord but also empower you to experiment with other chord structures.
Let's get started and dive into the world of the A aug chord!
Notes of the A aug chord:
Tones in the Augmented Fifth chord:
Guitar Patterns for the A Augmented Fifth chord
Chord boxes are sorted from the easiest to the hardest. Learn how to read chord diagrams.
If you have difficulties with bar chord shapes, check the Bar Chords Tips tutorial.
You can also use this accessible chords page with written diagrams instruction.
Position 1
Movable
Position 2
Movable
Position 3
Open
Position 4
Barre
Movable
You can find more shapes in our all guitar chords online library. If you
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FAQ
What notes are in an A augmented chord, and what intervals do they represent?
The A augmented chord is composed of three specific notes: A, C#, and E#. These notes correspond to the Root (1st), Major Third (3rd), and Augmented Fifth (#5) intervals, respectively, when built from the root note A.
Why is this chord called 'augmented,' and what makes it sound unique?
The term 'augmented' in the A augmented chord specifically refers to the #5 (Augmented Fifth) interval. This interval gives the chord its characteristic vibrant and distinctive sound, setting it apart from major or minor chords and adding an interesting flair and new dimension to your music.
The tutorial mentions E# as a note in the A augmented chord. Is E# the same as F, and why is it called E# here?
While E# sounds enharmonically equivalent to F on the guitar, it is correctly named E# within the A augmented chord to maintain the proper theoretical interval structure. The chord is built using the Root, Major Third, and Augmented Fifth (1, 3, #5) intervals. If it were named F, it would imply a Perfect Fifth or a different interval, which would not create an augmented chord from the root A.
What is the typical use or sound characteristic of an A augmented chord in guitar playing?
The A augmented chord produces a unique, vibrant, and distinctive sound. It's often used to add an 'interesting flair' and a 'new dimension' to musical compositions. Guitarists typically use augmented chords to create tension, color, or a sense of forward motion, rather than as a stable resting point like major or minor chords.