AUGMENTED

MUSIC CHORD
TERMS DICTIONARY

AUGMENTED

The term "Augmented" really means to raise a note by a half step.  However, in practice, for chords, this term often refers to raising the fifth note of a chord one half step.

To determine which notes are to be used for this chord, let us look at both a scale in the key of C and also the chromatic scale.

Scale in Key of C

A scale in the key of C shown above are the normal notes that one might expect in a song.  Instead of calling the notes C, D, E, etc.  or 1, 2, 3 , we also could think of the sequence as the singing notes: do, re, me fa, so, la ti do.

Chromatic Scale starting with C

A chromatic scale is all of the possible musical notes - and not just the notes in the C scale.  Note that between two "whole steps" such as C to D, that there is a "half step" in between, that we could call C# (C sharp) or we could also call Db (D flat).  Note that C# and Db are the same note, and could be called by either name.  Basically, one half step down from D is the same as one half step up from C.

An augmented chord, again, would tend to raise the 5th note of the chord.  Let us first start out with a normal Major chord triad.  Such a chord would be made up of the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of the scale, which is key of C in this case.  So those notes would be C, E, and G.  This would give us a C Major chord.  Now for the augmented chord, let us raise the 5th note by a half step.  To do this, look at the chromatic scale for the half step note, which would be G# which is one half step higher than G.  Then C Augmented chord would be the notes:  C, E, and G#.  Another name used for an augmented chord is a plus chord - such as C +.

Musicord Software Note

The Musicord Software shown below for Windows, does work for augmented (plus) chords.

Now Available !  Musicord Version 3 software for Windows
Shows chords and chord fingerings for
Keyboard and many stringed instruments

(note: actual screen size is larger in usage)

Click Here for More Musicord Information

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		Book: Becoming a One Person Band (click for info) eBook Available from Google Play, Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook If you have some instrument skills, particularly with a keyboard instrument such as piano, organ, accordion, or keyboard itself or similar, you can do multiple track recording and create you own band recording of perhaps 4 or 8 or 16 or more pieces. This book focuses on music theory on help for determining what some of those other band parts might play, such as strings, bass or other instruments.