What is an Augmented chord? It is a major chord with the fifth note 'sharpened'. So C augmented is C (root) E and G#.
Written as C+ or Caug.

The Bizarre World of Augmented Chords

More on the Augmented chord, this time by David Bennett. A really fascinating look at it. Well worth watching!

Songs that use Augmented Chords



Comment to David Bennett from underneath the video:

Holy hell man, I've played music for almost my entire life in some form, and I've never properly understood music theory until I started watching your videos. Thank you so much.

Must admit, I knew an augmented chord was root + 4 semitones up + another 4 semitones up but I hadn't realised that another 4 semitones up would bring you back to the root. This is a bit in structure like the diminished chord which is root + 3 semitones up + another 3 semitones up + another 3 semitones up .. and another 3 semitones up brings you back to the root.

It's inevitable that it all comes back to mathematics, particularly when you realise that the sensation of pitch is related to the frequency of the sound. The pitch increases with frequency. Thus, the frequency of middle C is 256 Hz, and the frequency of the A above is 440 Hz. A is the standard that instruments in an orchestra tune to.

Hugh

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