A augmented chord on piano (Aaug)
Aaug is A, C♯ and E♯. A is the white key between the last two black keys of the three. Hit Play and watch each key light as it sounds.
root position · A–C♯–E♯ · right hand 1-3-5
- Notes
- A · C♯ · E♯
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · ♯5
How to play Aaug on piano
Count keys (black and white) from A: 4 half steps up to C♯ then 4 half steps up to E♯. That's the whole chord: 3 keys.
- Right hand: 1 on A, 3 on C♯ and 5 on E♯.
- Left hand: 5 on A, 3 on C♯ and 1 on E♯.
- On the keyboard it's white, black and white keys, the same pattern as Eaug and Baug, so your hand shape carries over.
Aaug inversions
- root position: A–C♯–E♯. Right hand 1-3-5.
- 1st inversion: C♯–E♯–A, with C♯ at the bottom. Fingers 1-2-5.
- 2nd inversion: E♯–A–C♯, E♯ lowest. Fingers 1-3-5.
Use the inversions to stay put: the next chord is often one inversion away from where your hand already is, as the changes below show.
Changing from Aaug to the chords around it
The chords Aaug usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.
- D (the raised fifth pushes up into the IV): Aaug to D: play D in 2nd inversion (A–D–F♯) and A stays under the same finger, while C♯ moves up to D and E♯ up to F♯. D on piano
- E (V in A major): Aaug to E: play E in 1st inversion (G♯–B–E), while A moves down to G♯, C♯ down to B and E♯ down to E. E on piano
- F♯m (vi in A major): Aaug to F♯m: play F♯m in 1st inversion (A–C♯–F♯) and A and C♯ stay under the same fingers, while E♯ moves up to F♯. F♯m on piano
Aaug is an augmented triad: two major thirds stacked, with a raised fifth. Aaug is a stepping stone: it often moves on to the IV chord, with the raised fifth rising one more half step. Play it solid and then broken to hear the difference.
Getting Aaug under your fingers
Play Aaug broken, one key at a time: A, C♯, E♯, C♯, A. Then press the keys together and check that all 3 sound at the same volume. Then climb the inversions: A–C♯–E♯, then C♯–E♯–A, then E♯–A–C♯.
The keys of Aaug
Aaug is a augmented chord, 1–3–♯5 from A. Root position, from the bottom: how Aaug is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| C♯ | black key | RH 3 · LH 3 | major third |
| E♯ | white key | RH 5 · LH 1 | augmented fifth |
Where Aaug shows up
Aaug on guitar and ukulele
Aaug on guitar and ukulele uses the same 3 notes in a different layout. See all three together.
Close to Aaug
Other augmented chords
Aaug on piano: questions
What notes are in Aaug on piano?
A, C♯ and E♯: A (white key), C♯ (black key) and E♯ (white key). Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1.
How do you play Aaug on piano?
Press A, C♯ and E♯ together (1 black, 2 white). Right hand: 1 on A, 3 on C♯ and 5 on E♯.
What are the inversions of Aaug?
1st inversion (C♯–E♯–A) and 2nd inversion (E♯–A–C♯), after root position (A–C♯–E♯). Each keeps all the notes of the chord.
What does Aaug look like on the keyboard?
white, black and white keys, the same pattern as Eaug and Baug, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Shapes and sound are generated from the notes A, C♯ and E♯ and tested automatically. Updated September 2026.