A♭ augmented chord on guitar (A♭aug)

A♭aug is A♭, C and E. The usual shape is 4-3-2-1-1-0. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.

How to play A♭aug on guitar

Shape 1, 4-3-2-1-1-0, reading from the low E string on the left:

1. Index finger lies flat over the 2 strings from the G string to the B string, just behind the 1st fret wire.
2. E: middle finger, 2nd fret of the D string.
3. C: ring finger, 3rd fret of the A string.
4. A♭: pinky finger, 4th fret of the low E string.
5. Leave the high E string open: E.

• Only part of the finger needs to press here, so flatten just the tip section across those strings and keep the rest of the hand relaxed.
• Arch your fingers so their tips come down vertically. That keeps them off the open strings, which have to ring for the chord to sound complete.
• This shape uses your pinky. It feels weak at first; press with the tip and let the finger stay curved.
• A four-fret stretch: drop your wrist a little and point your thumb up the back of the neck.

Other ways to play A♭aug

• x-11-10-9-9-x: movable shape at the 9th fret, medium. This is the open Aaug shape with a barre behind it, root on the 5th string.
• x-x-6-5-5-4: movable shape at the 4th fret, medium. A small shape for quick changes and a lighter sound.

Capo shortcuts for A♭aug

With a capo you can skip the harder shapes: capo on the 4th fret and play the open Eaug shape (0-3-2-1-1-0). Everything above the capo is fingered exactly like the open chord.

Moving between A♭aug and its neighbours

The chords A♭aug usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.

• C♯ (the raised fifth pushes up into the IV): A♭aug (4-3-2-1-1-0) to C♯ (x-4-6-6-6-4): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 4th fret, move the middle finger to the D string, 6th fret, the ring finger goes to the G string, 6th fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. A♭ carries over from one chord to the other. C♯ on guitar
• E♭ (V in A♭ major): A♭aug (4-3-2-1-1-0) to E♭ (x-x-1-3-4-3): move the index finger to the D string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 3rd fret, the ring finger goes to the high E string, 3rd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. E♭ on guitar
• Fm (vi in A♭ major): A♭aug (4-3-2-1-1-0) to Fm (1-3-3-1-1-1): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the A string, 3rd fret, the ring finger slides across to the D string at the same fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. Listen for A♭ and C, which stay put while the rest moves. Fm on guitar

A♭aug is an augmented triad: two major thirds stacked, with a raised fifth. A♭aug is a stepping stone: it often moves on to the IV chord, with the raised fifth rising one more half step. The slow arpeggio button above makes that quality easy to hear.

A short A♭aug drill

Before strumming, play 4-3-2-1-1-0 note by note: A♭ then C then E then A♭ then C then E. A dead note tells you exactly which finger to fix. Then switch to x-11-10-9-9-x and back four times without looking at your hand.

G♯aug is another spelling of A♭aug. Same shape, same sound.

Where A♭aug shows up

A♭aug on piano and ukulele

The same notes on another instrument: A♭aug on piano and A♭aug on ukulele. This page puts all three side by side.

Related A♭ chords on guitar

• A♭
• G♯dim
• A♭7
• A♭add9

Other augmented chords

• Caug
• D♭aug
• Daug
• E♭aug
• Eaug
• Faug
• G♭aug
• Gaug
• Aaug
• B♭aug
• Baug

Shapes and sound are generated from the notes A♭, C and E and tested automatically. Updated September 2026. Print this chord