Chord · Augmented Key of C

Caug Chord on guitar · voicings, notes & diagram

The Caug chord contains the notes C, E, G♯. Dreamlike, suspended, slightly mysterious. The raised 5th refuses to settle.

Voicings

How to play Caug.

Caug 8fr × 1 4 3 2 1 E A D G B E

E-shape

Every chord tone on the neck

EADGBE 35791215 Root Scale note

Notes & intervals.

# Degree Note
1 1 C root
2 3 E
3 #5 G♯

Sound & use

Dreamlike, suspended, slightly mysterious. The raised 5th refuses to settle.

Brief transitional chord; common in jazz, the Beatles ("Oh! Darling"), and as a chromatic step.

Common in: jazz, classical, film

Also written as: +, aug

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Same key

Other chords in the key of C.

C

Major

Cm

Minor

Cdim

Diminished

Csus2

Suspended 2nd

Csus4

Suspended 4th

C7

Dominant 7

Cmaj7

Major 7

Cm7

Minor 7

Cm7b5

Minor 7♭5

Cdim7

Diminished 7

Cm(maj7)

Minor-Major 7

C6

Major 6

Cm6

Minor 6

Cadd9

Add 9

Cm(add9)

Minor Add 9

C9

Dominant 9

Cmaj9

Major 9

Cm9

Minor 9

All keys

Augmented chord in every key.

C♯aug

Daug

D♯aug

Eaug

Faug

F♯aug

Gaug

G♯aug

Aaug

A♯aug

Baug

FAQ

About the Caug chord
on guitar.

What notes are in the Caug chord?

The Caug chord contains the notes C, E, G♯ — that's a 1, 3, #5 from the root.

How do I play Caug on guitar?

The most common voicings for Caug are shown above as fretboard diagrams. Start with the e-shape — finger position numbers are inside the dots. Mute any string marked X; play open strings shown with O.

Where is Caug used in music?

Dreamlike, suspended, slightly mysterious. The raised 5th refuses to settle. Brief transitional chord; common in jazz, the Beatles ("Oh! Darling"), and as a chromatic step.

What's a movable shape for Caug?

Both E-shape (root on the 6th string) and A-shape (root on the 5th string) barre versions are common. Once you can play those two shapes, you can play Augmented in any key just by sliding up or down the neck.

Can I print the Caug chord diagram?

Yes. Use your browser's print function (Cmd/Ctrl + P) — the SVG diagrams print crisply at any size. For a custom voicing or a printable handout with multiple chords, use the chord chart generator.