Chord Information
Learn how to play Caug on piano
Notes in Chord
Intervals
Inversion
Notes (bottom to top): C4 - E4 - G#4
Right Hand Fingering
3=middle, 4=ring, 5=pinky
Interactive Piano
Click the highlighted keys to play the Caug chord
About the Caug Chord
The C augmented chord floats with an ethereal, unresolved quality that has fascinated composers for generations. Built from C-E-G#, this chord takes the familiar C major triad and raises the fifth, creating a sound that seems to hover without landing. The augmented fifth (G#) adds a dreamlike tension that's quite different from the urgent instability of diminished chords.
Like diminished chords, augmented chords are symmetrical—built from stacked major thirds (4 semitones each). This means C augmented contains the same notes as E augmented and G# augmented, just spelled differently. This symmetry allows composers to use augmented chords for smooth modulations between distant keys.
C augmented's position starting from C makes it an accessible entry point to augmented harmony. The familiar C-E foundation grounds the chord while the raised G# introduces the characteristic augmented color. Understanding Caug provides a template for all augmented chords.
Music Theory & Usage
C augmented often functions as a chromatic passing chord or as an altered V chord. Moving from C to C+ to F creates smooth voice leading where G rises to G# then A. The chord also appears in whole-tone scale contexts, where its symmetrical structure fits naturally.
In jazz, C+ often appears as a dominant alteration (C7#5) or in chromatic chord sequences. Classical composers used augmented chords for moments of wonder or transformation. Film composers choose them for magical, otherworldly, or unsettling scenes.
Famous Songs Using Caug
Hear how professional musicians use the Caug chord in these well-known songs:
“Oh! Darling”
by The Beatles
Uses augmented chords for dramatic intensity in the vocal breaks
“Auguries of Spring”
by Igor Stravinsky
The Rite of Spring uses augmented harmony for its primal effect
“Crying”
by Roy Orbison
Features augmented chord for the soaring, dramatic moments
“All My Loving”
by The Beatles
Uses chromatic harmony including augmented passing chords
How to Play Caug on Piano
- Place your thumb on C.
- Place your middle finger on E.
- Place your pinky finger on G#.
- Press all keys simultaneously to hear the Caug chord.
Recommended fingering: 1-3-5 (right hand)
Caug Chord Inversions
The Caug chord can be played in different inversions:
Root Position
C - E - G# (bass note: C)
First Inversion
E - G# - C (bass note: E)
Second Inversion
G# - C - E (bass note: G#)
Common Chord Progressions Using Caug
I-IV-V Progression
Common chord progression
I-V-vi-IV Progression
Common chord progression
Practice Tips for Caug
- Start slowly and focus on pressing all keys simultaneously for a clean sound.
- Practice transitioning between Caug and other common chords to build muscle memory.
- This is a fundamental chord - master it in all inversions before moving to complex chords.
- Try playing Caug as part of simple progressions to understand its harmonic function.
Frequently Asked Questions about Caug
What makes augmented chords sound dreamlike?
The augmented fifth creates a major third between the 3rd and 5th (E to G#), making two stacked major thirds. This removes the perfect fifth that normally grounds a chord, creating a floating sensation. There's no stable interval for our ears to rest on.
What is the fingering for C augmented?
For right hand, use 1-3-5 (thumb on C, middle on E, pinky on G#). For left hand, use 5-3-1. The G# black key falls naturally under the pinky (RH) or thumb (LH). This position is similar to C major with the fifth raised.
What chords does C augmented resolve to?
C+ commonly resolves to F major (G# moves to A), to C major (G# moves down to G), or to Am (G# moves to A while other voices adjust). The voice leading usually involves the raised fifth moving by half step.
How is C augmented related to E augmented?
C+, E+, and G#+ all contain the same three pitches (C-E-G#), just in different arrangements. This symmetry means any augmented chord can pivot to keys a major third apart. C+ can function in C, E, or G#/Ab contexts equally well.