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C augmented chord

  1. Cdo
  2. Emi
  3. G#sol#
Root positionRight hand 1-3-5

Caug chord notes

C augmented stacks two major thirds, four semitones and then four, so its top note is an augmented fifth above the root. It sounds stretched and unresolved, and Caug often links a major chord to the next one by raising the fifth a semitone.

NoteInterval from the rootSemitones
CdoRoot10
EmiMajor third34
G#sol#Augmented fifth#58
All piano chords

Caug chord inversions

An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using Caug's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.

  1. Root position

    C, E, G#

    Right hand
    1-3-5
    Left hand
    5-3-1

  2. First inversion

    E, G#, C

    Right hand
    1-3-5
    Left hand
    5-3-1

  3. Second inversion

    G#, C, E

    Right hand
    1-3-5
    Left hand
    5-3-1

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Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Caug chord?

C augmented (Caug) is C, E, G#. In solfège that's do, mi, sol#.

Which fingers play Caug?

In root position, the right hand plays 1-3-5 and the left hand 5-3-1, counting from the lowest note. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5.

Why does Caug share its notes with other augmented chords?

Its three notes split the octave into equal major thirds, so the augmented chords on its third and its fifth use the same keys. Caug is named by the note you treat as the root.