Caug Chord (Augmented)

The augmented triad raises the 5th a semitone — root, major 3rd, sharp 5th — erasing the interval that normally anchors a chord. The notes of Caug are C, E, G#.

With no perfect 5th, it never resolves anywhere in particular; it just hangs, dreamlike or unsettling depending on context.

Caug voicings on guitar

Every playable, root-in-the-bass grip standard tuning offers, computed from the chord’s own formula — not a fixed shape library.

Try sliding it up or down by whole steps — its symmetric shape (every interval a major 3rd) makes it move in ways major/minor triads can’t.

Formula and intervals

R - 3 - b6 — 3 notes.

Scales that fit Caug

Every scale below contains all of this chord’s notes — safe territory to improvise in over it.

Phrygian Dominant, Lydian Augmented, Altered (Super Locrian), Whole Tone

Other triads on C

• C (Major)
• Cm (Minor)
• Cdim (Diminished)
• Csus2 (Sus2)
• Csus4 (Sus4)
• C5 (Power Chord)