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Guitar chord reference

Augmented guitar chord: five CAGED shapes

An augmented triad raises the 5th of a major chord, producing three equally spaced major thirds. Its symmetry makes inversions sound closely related and creates strong outward motion.

Chord construction and function

The raised 5th is the colour tone; hear it against both root and major 3rd. Because the structure repeats every four semitones, visual root awareness prevents ambiguous naming.

Chord formula
1 · 3 · ♯5
Notes in Caug
C · E · G♯

Caug in CAGED neck order

Root notes are highlighted. Read each movable voicing as a set of chord tones, not simply as a copied open shape.

C shape

×13♯51

A shape

3fr×1♯513♯5

G shape

5fr13♯5131

E shape

8fr1♯513♯51

D shape

10fr××1♯513

Practice drill

Alternate major and augmented versions on one root, then resolve ♯5 upward by a semitone. Repeat in every CAGED form while keeping the common tones sustained.

Open the chord randomiser