How to Play Caug on Piano

The C Augmented chord sounds suspended and eerie. It stacks 3 notes: C – E – G#.

Two stacked major thirds. It divides the octave evenly, so it sounds equally at home — and equally unresolved — in several keys at once.

Notes in Caug

NoteIntervalFinger
CC4Root1
EE4Major 3rd3
G#G#4Augmented 5th5

How to Play

Right Hand

Place your thumb (finger 1) on C. Use finger 3 on E and finger 5 on G#.

Where it sits

One note of this chord (G#) is on black keys, so play it a little further back on the keys than an all-white shape.

Press all 3 keys at the same time. Keep your wrist relaxed and your fingers curved. The blue dots on the piano below show exactly which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Other Augmented Chords

Other C Chords