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A♭ augmented chord (A♭aug)

A♭ augmented is a 3-note augmented chord: A♭ – C – E. It sounds mysterious and suspenseful. Here it is on guitar, piano and ukulele, with fingering and audio. Also called G♯ augmented (G♯aug).

  • NotesA♭ – C – E
  • Formula1 – 3 – ♯5
  • SymbolA♭aug · A♭+ · A♭♯5
  • EnharmonicG♯ augmented (G♯aug)

A♭ augmented on guitar

  • 4××1423A♭A♭CE
    Fret 4 (E shape)
  • 11××1423A♭EA♭C
    Fret 11 (A shape)

How to place your fingers (fret 4)

  1. Finger 1 (index) on fret 4 of the 6th string (E).
  2. Finger 4 (pinky) on fret 6 of the 4th string (D).
  3. Finger 2 (middle) on fret 5 of the 3rd string (G).
  4. Place finger 3 (ring) at fret 5 on the 2nd string (B).
  5. Do not play the 5th and 1st strings: strum from the 6th.

The numbers inside the dots are the fingers of your left hand: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring and 4 pinky. The colored dots mark the root (A♭). The other positions let you change chords without jumping along the neck, or give you a higher-pitched sound.

A♭ augmented on piano

CEA♭

In root position, play A♭ – C – E from bottom to top with fingers 1, 3 and 5 of your right hand (thumb, middle and pinky). With your left hand you usually play just the root (A♭) or the root and the fifth.

Inversions

  • First inversion: C – E – A♭
  • Second inversion: E – A♭ – C

A♭ augmented on ukulele

  • A♭CEC
    Open position
  • 3CEA♭C
    From fret 3

Standard tuning G – C – E – A (the G string is the high one). Is your ukulele in tune? Use the ukulele tuner.

Notes and intervals of A♭ augmented

  • A♭1 · root
  • C3 · major third
  • E♯5 · augmented fifth

It appears as a passing chord (for example I → I augmented → vi) and in intros to ballads and boleros.

Progressions with A♭aug

Chromatic passing chord: I – I+ – IV

The fifth, raised a half step, pulls toward the fourth degree.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the A♭ augmented chord?

A♭ augmented (A♭aug) has 3 notes: A♭ (root), C (major third), E (augmented fifth).

How do you play A♭ augmented on guitar?

The most common shape starts at fret 4: 4 x 6 5 5 x (from the 6th to the 1st string). Finger 1 (index finger) on fret 4 of the 6th string (E). Finger 4 (pinky) on fret 6 of the 4th string (D). Finger 2 (middle finger) on fret 5 of the 3rd string (G). Finger 3 (ring finger) on fret 5 of the 2nd string (B). Don't play the 5th or 1st strings: strum from the 6th string down.

Is A♭aug the same as G♯aug?

Yes: A♭ augmented and G♯ augmented sound the same and are played the same way (they're enharmonic). The spelling depends on the song's key; you'll see both names in sheet music and songbooks.

What is the chord symbol for A♭ augmented?

It's written A♭aug; you'll also see A♭+ or A♭♯5. Chord notation uses letter names for notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.

Want to play whole songs?

A teacher shows you how to change chords smoothly, strum and play along to your favorite songs, in online lessons or at home in Bogotá.

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