A♭ augmented chord on ukulele (A♭aug)

A♭aug is A♭, C and E. The easiest shape is 1-0-0-3. Tap Play, then slow it down.

1-0-0-3 · open · easy

Notes: A♭ · C · E
Formula: 1 · 3 · ♯5
First shape: 1-0-0-3

How to play A♭aug on ukulele

Shape 1, 1-0-0-3, reading from the G string on the left:

Put your index finger on the G string at the 1st fret, which is A♭.
Put your middle finger on the A string at the 3rd fret, which is C.
The open C and E strings add C and E; don't touch them.

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.
On ukulele you strum all four strings. The top G string is tuned higher than the C, which is why ukulele chords sound bright and close.

Other ways to play A♭aug

5-4-4-7: movable shape at the 4th fret, medium. Same notes, stacked differently, so it sounds a little different.
9-8-8-7: movable shape at the 7th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.

Changing from A♭aug to the chords around it

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

C♯ (the raised fifth pushes up into the IV): A♭aug (1-0-0-3) to C♯ (6-5-4-4): move the index finger to the E string, 4th fret, move the middle finger to the A string, 4th fret, the ring finger comes down on the C string, 5th fret, the pinky finger comes down on the G string, 6th fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. Shared note: A♭. C♯ on ukulele
E♭ (V in A♭ major): A♭aug (1-0-0-3) to E♭ (0-3-3-1): move the index finger to the A string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the C string, 3rd fret, the ring finger comes down on the E string, 3rd fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. E♭ on ukulele
Fm (vi in A♭ major): A♭aug (1-0-0-3) to Fm (1-0-1-3): your index finger stays put, your middle finger lands on the E string, 1st fret, the ring finger comes down on the A string, 3rd fret. The two chords share A♭ and C, which is why the change sounds smooth. Fm on ukulele

A♭aug is an augmented triad: two major thirds stacked, with a raised fifth. All 3 notes of A♭aug fit on the ukulele's four strings, with one of them doubled. On ukulele you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

Practice A♭aug in two minutes

Before strumming, play 1-0-0-3 note by note: A♭ then C then E then C. A dead note tells you exactly which finger to fix. Finish by moving between 1-0-0-3 and 5-4-4-7 to learn two positions of the same chord.

You may also see it as G♯aug; nothing changes on the ukulele.

Keys and progressions with A♭aug

A♭aug on guitar and piano

Switching instruments? Try A♭aug on piano or A♭aug on guitar, or compare them on the A♭aug chord page.

Close to A♭aug

Other augmented chords

A♭aug on ukulele: questions

What notes are in A♭aug on ukulele?

A♭, C and E. In the 1-0-0-3 shape the strings play A♭ (G string), C (C string, open), E (E string, open) and C (A string), so C is doubled.

What's the easiest way to play A♭aug on ukulele?

1-0-0-3, the first shape on this page. No barre: some strings ring open.

Is A♭aug a barre chord on ukulele?

Not usually: 1-0-0-3 needs no barre.

Which string does A♭aug start on?

In the 1-0-0-3 shape the lowest string you play is the G string at the 1st fret, which is A♭, the root.

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside A♭aug. Updated September 2026.