C♯ Augmented Chord on Guitar
C♯aug C♯ E♯ G𝄪 2 shapes Barre chord
Also written D♭aug: the same frets under another name.
Chord diagrams
How to play C♯ Augmented on guitar
The C♯ Augmented chord (C♯aug) is made of C♯, E♯, G𝄪 - 1 3 #5. On a guitar in standard tuning the easiest way to play it is the A-shape barre at fret 2 (x4322x). Below are 2 shapes in all, from the lowest on the neck to the highest; the same chord sounds brighter the higher you play it.
E-shape, fret 9 9x(11)(10)(10)x
Strings from the low E (left) to the high E (right). Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little. x = do not play the string, o = open string, a bar = one finger across several strings.
Notes
What notes are in C♯ Augmented?
The C♯ Augmented chord has 3 different notes: C♯, E♯, G𝄪. Two major thirds stacked; the raised fifth makes it restless. A guitar chord rarely has as many strings as notes, so shapes double some of them: every shape here leaves at least one string unplayed - watch the x marks. Mute the strings marked x with the side of a fretting finger, so that only the chord rings.
| Note | Interval from the root | Half steps |
|---|---|---|
| C♯ | Root | 0 |
| E♯ | Major 3rd | 4 |
| G𝄪 | Augmented 5th | 8 |
Questions
Frequently asked
How do you play C♯aug on guitar?
The A-shape shape x4322x: A string fret 4 (finger 4), D string fret 3 (finger 3), G string fret 2 (finger 1), B string fret 2 (finger 1); do not play low E and high E. Your index finger lies flat across fret 2.
What notes are in the C♯ Augmented chord?
The C♯ Augmented chord (C♯aug) is made of C♯, E♯, G𝄪. Its formula is 1 3 #5. On the guitar, some of those notes are played twice on different strings.
Can I play C♯aug without a barre?
There is no common open shape for C♯aug in standard tuning, so it is played as a movable shape: a-shape, fret 2 (x4322x) is the lowest on the neck. If a full barre is hard at first, play only the four highest strings of that shape - the root and the third are still there.
Is C♯ Augmented the same as D♭aug?
On the guitar, yes: the same frets. The name changes with the key - sharps in sharp keys, flats in flat keys.
Keep playing
Strum C♯aug, then build a song around it
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