Understanding the Augmented Chord

In this chapter, we're going to look at the augmented chord.

Nature of the Augmented Chord

The augmented chord sounds rather exotic. Unlike the diminished chord, it's symmetrical. But instead of a pile of minor thirds, this is a pile of major thirds.

Notation

• G Augmented can be written as:
  • G Aug
  • G
  • G7
  • G7, 5

I have to apologize for the absolute mess of chord names, but no one accepts responsibility for the way this has been organized.

Scales and Patterns

The scale that best fits the augmented chord is the whole tone scale. You can see from the arpeggio that it is a G7 with the fifth sharpened.

Learning Scales

From the point of view of learning scales, the augmented is even better than the diminished because there are only two to learn.

• The G whole tone scale also works for:

  • A
  • B
  • C sharp
  • D sharp
  • F natural

• The AB whole tone scale works for all the others.

Like the diminished scale, the whole tone scale can use the same fingering on each string, but instead of moving down half a step as you go to the next string, you move up half a step.

Whole Tone Scale Movement

So here is the whole tone scale:

• Up half a position.
• Up half a position.
• Up half a position.

You can do the same thing with scale patterns. Over an augmented chord, you can play a phrase and then transpose it up or down a tone as many times as you like.

Popularity of Descending Patterns

For some reason, descending scales and patterns seem to be more useful and popular than ascending ones.

Here's a pattern:

Because it stays in first position, there's no logic to the fingering, so you have to just memorize it.

Use of Augmented Chords

Common Occurrence

Augmented chords are not very common. They usually occur as an alternative to the seventh chord, punctuating the end of a line, a section, or a sequence.

Example

Here's an extended G augmented chord sequence.