Augmented Chord Ear Training
The augmented chord has a dreamy, ethereal, and slightly unsettling quality. It appears in Beatles songs, film scores, and jazz — and learning to recognize it makes you a much better listener.
What is an augmented chord?
An augmented triad consists of a root, major third, and augmented fifth (raised fifth). For example, C-E-G# is a C augmented chord. Every interval within the chord is a major third (4 semitones).
Like the diminished chord, its symmetrical structure gives it an ambiguous, "floating" quality — but where diminished sounds tense and dark, augmented sounds expansive and dreamlike.
How to recognize augmented chords
- Major chord: Sounds bright and complete — like arriving at home.
- Augmented chord: Sounds bright but unsettled — like floating upward with no destination.
- The raised fifth creates a slight "stretching" sensation compared to the stable perfect fifth in a major chord.
Famous example: The intro chord of "Oh! Darling" by The Beatles uses an augmented chord for dramatic effect.
Practice approach
Because augmented chords are relatively rare, they can be hard to practice in isolation. Here's the best approach:
- Start with Major vs Minor to establish a baseline.
- Add Augmented to the pool and notice how it differs from Major (brighter but unstable).
- Then add Diminished. Now you have four distinct chord "colors" to identify.
Ready to practice?
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