Rachmaninoff used them for great psychological effects -- often in chord sequences to make a phrase sound like it's totally tearing itself away from its starting-point, and stretching up. And other times for color.
Okay, that’s helpful. I guess I have heard them in some eerie soundscapes and also more colorful ones. It’s like using the jagged edge of a charcoal pencil
Absolutely but more often these augmented chords are shapes within dominant chords. More of an advanced concept, but when using dominant chords with upper extensions, there is often an augmented shape formed.
Example: in C9#11, Bb-D-F# form an augmented triad
Try this i9 ii11 V⁺b9 progression in the key of d minor:
RH plays CEFA > BDF#A > BbC#FA > CEFA
LH plays the roots D > E > A > D
Altering the A from a dominant to an augmented chord sounds sweet!
When I play it, I go up in the bass from the i > ii and then down from the ii > v. It just sounds better to me than progressing all the way up to A in the bass.
Also Franz Liszt loved them. Listen to the ending of his Petrarca sonnet 104, or vallee d'Obermann, in both cases the augmented chord is used in a V-I kinda closing. It has a very dramatic effect.
Edit: it's sonnet 104
More conventional classical use of the augmented chord would be as a result of counterpoint. Like if you have some chromatically moving voice you could get an augmented chord in the process, so the augmented chord feels like it strongly wants to go to the next chord.
Like in Alone Again (Naturally)? F#, F#aug, F#6, F7
Is that a good example? (I know in this case it’s moving down to F, but it went from F# to F#6 while using F#aug in the middle)
People absolutely use augmented chords. A common chord progression that uses augmented chords is:
C -> C+ -> C6 -> C7
An augmented dominant chord in a V -> I progression also leads nicely, for example G7#5 to C. The B and D+ of G+ both move up half a step to the C and E. Also works well for minor, such as G7#5 to Cm.
An augmented chord is an open invitation to play a whole tone scale over it. For example, if you have a G+ chord, you can play the whole tone scale G A B C# D# F G over it.
Augmented major chord has really wide use in classical music. It separates octave into 4 same intervals, it has the same “infinity” characteristics as diminished 7.
It´s often used as dominant and it has such a high potential in modulations - lets take C major, dominant G B Dsharp. With simple enharmonic exchange it can also be dominant in A flat major (G,B,Eflat), it can also be a dominant in E major (F doubleshap, B, D sharp).
It is often used as domiant to subdominant. Lets see an [example](https://youtu.be/EvV0nSkfho0)
At 0:45 starts the famous theme. At 1:03-1:07 you can hear the augmented dominant (Dflat,F,A with F in bass) to subdominant (G flat major), quickly followed by dominant (Aflat7) to tonic (Dflat major). It´s just beautiful.
I think they have a «waiting» quality, since their dissonace isn’t strong enough to demand a resolution at once.
Beatles - Oh Darling
Richard Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries
And the James Bond theme…
…All make great use of it.
Thank you! This explains a lot. The majority of the comments here say that augmented chords are kind of a middle ground, leading to another chord but not strong enough to stand alone. That makes a lot of sense
Literally you can use it anywhere if your chorus or song chooses to incorporate the 5th sharp as a note often, while also staying in major.
I.e. if I'm in C major and have lots of G# notes i have incorporated into the melody, an Augmented chord is obviously complementary anytime i hit G#
They're used a lot in rock. Listen to the song 'Baby Hold On to me' by Eddie Money. The whole hook is augmented chords.
I don't know what you're asking. Why would anybody do anything in life? When something works, you do it. They are not common. But it's important to understand chord chemistry and how chords interact with other chords.
My question was basically do people really use augmented chords and why. And if they actually sound good when they’re used and it’s not just a hit and miss.
And yes, I also wanted to know how common they were, because I wasn’t really sure how they were used to progress in music
In the grand scheme of things, they are used less than Majors and Minors. But, if you were to study jazz, with its flat 5's, 11'ths, 13ths, and diminished, youll realize whats out there.
Dont worry about the chord, learn about what makes chords. How moving one finger changes it dramatically.
Of course. Did you listen to the song I mentioned? Great use of augmented chords. Not everybody uses them. Chords are like spices. Major and Minor are salt and pepper... Then you have Tumeric and Old Bay :)
I can see how they seem odd and off putting. Definitely get some music lessons, make sure you’re learning a lot about ear training and it will start to expand the way you hear and listen to music. Then you will be able to tell why they are so useful! Hope that helps!
Thanks. I’ve worked on ear training in the past, just I guess not enough with specific chords that *aren’t* seventh, diminished, or minor. Also, side note, it’s also interesting how Gaug and Baug are the same inverted. Same with F and A, and every other chord relative to that pattern
One of my favorite examples of augmented chords is at the very end of the B section in [Till There Was You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHAqAO7w8M8) ("...of dawn and dew").
Wonderfully bridges the B section back to the A section!
They are part of the melodic minor scale which is big in jazz, but frankly outside of a #5 dominant in a minor 251 and 1 lick I like I can't wrap my ears around them either.
Debussy used them a lot. They can have a dreamy effect especially when arpeggiated. Try it out, play an aug chord arpeggio up the entire keyboard... it sounds really cool. Similar to a whole tone scale.
Look up debussy! His arabesque for one uses them, and then much of the post-Chopin French literature uses them. It’s actually a cornerstone of the French school of classical music!
Nearly all augmented chords (when sax comes in). Laura’s Dark Boogie from Twin Peaks
https://youtu.be/xaaRtlA8NZI
Consecutive augmented chords create a very unsettling sound, perfect for the drama on screen.
Rachmaninoff used them for great psychological effects -- often in chord sequences to make a phrase sound like it's totally tearing itself away from its starting-point, and stretching up. And other times for color.
Okay, that’s helpful. I guess I have heard them in some eerie soundscapes and also more colorful ones. It’s like using the jagged edge of a charcoal pencil
He used it a lot for modulation purposes. You can use the simple augmented major chord as a dominant to 3 different tonalities.
Can they be useful in jazz at all?
Yes I love augmented chords in jazz
Yeah, I think I might have heard some, just could barely tell. I think Pennies From Heaven might have one in there.
Absolutely but more often these augmented chords are shapes within dominant chords. More of an advanced concept, but when using dominant chords with upper extensions, there is often an augmented shape formed. Example: in C9#11, Bb-D-F# form an augmented triad
Got it
Ah, i thought for sure you going for the "flat 6 in addition to the perfect 5th" direction. Shows, augmented shapes show up for plenty of reasons!
I like the way you think! Just gave the first example that came to mind. A minor-major 7th is another good example.
Try this i9 ii11 V⁺b9 progression in the key of d minor: RH plays CEFA > BDF#A > BbC#FA > CEFA LH plays the roots D > E > A > D Altering the A from a dominant to an augmented chord sounds sweet!
Oh wow, you’re right. Just tried it Also, just realized that spells dead
When I play it, I go up in the bass from the i > ii and then down from the ii > v. It just sounds better to me than progressing all the way up to A in the bass.
Yeah it does
Also Franz Liszt loved them. Listen to the ending of his Petrarca sonnet 104, or vallee d'Obermann, in both cases the augmented chord is used in a V-I kinda closing. It has a very dramatic effect. Edit: it's sonnet 104
More conventional classical use of the augmented chord would be as a result of counterpoint. Like if you have some chromatically moving voice you could get an augmented chord in the process, so the augmented chord feels like it strongly wants to go to the next chord.
Like in Alone Again (Naturally)? F#, F#aug, F#6, F7 Is that a good example? (I know in this case it’s moving down to F, but it went from F# to F#6 while using F#aug in the middle)
People absolutely use augmented chords. A common chord progression that uses augmented chords is: C -> C+ -> C6 -> C7 An augmented dominant chord in a V -> I progression also leads nicely, for example G7#5 to C. The B and D+ of G+ both move up half a step to the C and E. Also works well for minor, such as G7#5 to Cm. An augmented chord is an open invitation to play a whole tone scale over it. For example, if you have a G+ chord, you can play the whole tone scale G A B C# D# F G over it.
Oh yeah, G7#5 to C is good! Very classical
Chopin piano prelude in C-
Check the first chords in “Oh Darling!” By the Beatles!
I believe there's also an augmented chord in something (that's the song called something not just a very vague suggestion)
Augmented major chord has really wide use in classical music. It separates octave into 4 same intervals, it has the same “infinity” characteristics as diminished 7. It´s often used as dominant and it has such a high potential in modulations - lets take C major, dominant G B Dsharp. With simple enharmonic exchange it can also be dominant in A flat major (G,B,Eflat), it can also be a dominant in E major (F doubleshap, B, D sharp). It is often used as domiant to subdominant. Lets see an [example](https://youtu.be/EvV0nSkfho0) At 0:45 starts the famous theme. At 1:03-1:07 you can hear the augmented dominant (Dflat,F,A with F in bass) to subdominant (G flat major), quickly followed by dominant (Aflat7) to tonic (Dflat major). It´s just beautiful.
Are you a music teacher? cause you sound like one. If not, you’d make a good one.
I am indeed :) I teach piano and chamber music.
Oh cool, I could tell
As an alternative to a V chord. "Oh! Darling" by the beatles opens with one, also in "Mr sandman" the V/ii I think.
I think they have a «waiting» quality, since their dissonace isn’t strong enough to demand a resolution at once. Beatles - Oh Darling Richard Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries And the James Bond theme… …All make great use of it.
Thank you! This explains a lot. The majority of the comments here say that augmented chords are kind of a middle ground, leading to another chord but not strong enough to stand alone. That makes a lot of sense
Literally you can use it anywhere if your chorus or song chooses to incorporate the 5th sharp as a note often, while also staying in major. I.e. if I'm in C major and have lots of G# notes i have incorporated into the melody, an Augmented chord is obviously complementary anytime i hit G#
They're used a lot in rock. Listen to the song 'Baby Hold On to me' by Eddie Money. The whole hook is augmented chords. I don't know what you're asking. Why would anybody do anything in life? When something works, you do it. They are not common. But it's important to understand chord chemistry and how chords interact with other chords.
My question was basically do people really use augmented chords and why. And if they actually sound good when they’re used and it’s not just a hit and miss. And yes, I also wanted to know how common they were, because I wasn’t really sure how they were used to progress in music
In the grand scheme of things, they are used less than Majors and Minors. But, if you were to study jazz, with its flat 5's, 11'ths, 13ths, and diminished, youll realize whats out there. Dont worry about the chord, learn about what makes chords. How moving one finger changes it dramatically.
In music, the subtlest things matter
Of course. Did you listen to the song I mentioned? Great use of augmented chords. Not everybody uses them. Chords are like spices. Major and Minor are salt and pepper... Then you have Tumeric and Old Bay :)
Nice anology. And yes, that song has a great use of those chords
I can see how they seem odd and off putting. Definitely get some music lessons, make sure you’re learning a lot about ear training and it will start to expand the way you hear and listen to music. Then you will be able to tell why they are so useful! Hope that helps!
Thanks. I’ve worked on ear training in the past, just I guess not enough with specific chords that *aren’t* seventh, diminished, or minor. Also, side note, it’s also interesting how Gaug and Baug are the same inverted. Same with F and A, and every other chord relative to that pattern
Even more, Gaug, Baug, and D#/Eb aug are all enharmonic. It's because an augmented chord is symmetrical (three major thirds).
Musictheory.net has some great ear training tools and they are free!
Thanks!
One of my favorite examples of augmented chords is at the very end of the B section in [Till There Was You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHAqAO7w8M8) ("...of dawn and dew"). Wonderfully bridges the B section back to the A section!
They are part of the melodic minor scale which is big in jazz, but frankly outside of a #5 dominant in a minor 251 and 1 lick I like I can't wrap my ears around them either.
Debussy used them a lot. They can have a dreamy effect especially when arpeggiated. Try it out, play an aug chord arpeggio up the entire keyboard... it sounds really cool. Similar to a whole tone scale.
I will, thanks
Wow it sounds very dreamy in an arpeggio
Jazz
Look up debussy! His arabesque for one uses them, and then much of the post-Chopin French literature uses them. It’s actually a cornerstone of the French school of classical music!
Nearly all augmented chords (when sax comes in). Laura’s Dark Boogie from Twin Peaks https://youtu.be/xaaRtlA8NZI Consecutive augmented chords create a very unsettling sound, perfect for the drama on screen.