C Augmented Guitar Chord
Voicing Positions (6)
Interval Colors
In Chord8, every interval has a unique color. The colors follow the function of each note relative to the root — so they change when you switch chords.
C Augmented Chord
The C Augmented chord is built from the intervals: Root, Major 3rd, and Minor 6th. It contains the notes C, E, and G#. This is a augmented triad — one of the foundational chord types.
What C Augmented Is
The C Augmented is an augmented triad — two stacked major thirds. The interval pattern is perfectly symmetrical, which means the chord has no natural root — any of its three notes could function as the root depending on context. Augmented chords sound dreamlike and unresolved, and they appear most often as passing harmony between two more stable chords.
How C Augmented Sounds
An augmented chord like C Augmented sounds floating and ambiguous. Because the chord is symmetrical, it can resolve in three different directions, which composers exploit when they want to surprise the listener with where the next chord lands. You will hear augmented chords most often in jazz, film scoring, and impressionist classical music.
How To Use C Augmented In A Progression
Augmented chords most often appear as passing chords between two diatonic chords. A common move in pop is to insert an augmented chord between the I and IV of a key, so the harmony is felt to chromatically rise. Because all three notes of an augmented triad are equidistant, you can also use any of them as the root, opening up unexpected chord substitutions.
Playing C Augmented On Guitar
On guitar, the most common voicings of C Augmented use the open position when possible (which is why guitarists tend to favour keys like E, A, D, G, and C) and movable barre or half-barre shapes everywhere else. The voicing diagrams above show several practical positions across the neck — the open or low-fret voicings will sound brightest, while the higher voicings will have a thinner, more focused tone. Always experiment with which fingering serves the line you are playing.
Related Chords
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