C Augmented Chord

Caug Level 5: The Abyss

C Augmented (Caug) is built from the notes C, E, Ab. Its intervals are Root — Major 3rd — Augmented 5th. Dreamlike, floating, and unresolved. The augmented triad sounds like it's suspended in mid-air — neither tense nor relaxed, just hovering.

Hear C Augmented Chord

Piano sample · tap to play

Notes and intervals

Interval Semitones Note
Root 0 C
Major 3rd 4 E
Augmented 5th 8 Ab

What does c augmented chord sound like?

Dreamlike, floating, and unresolved. The augmented triad sounds like it's suspended in mid-air — neither tense nor relaxed, just hovering.

C Augmented Chord in music

An otherworldly sound that appears in Beatles transitions and jazz voice leading. C augmented leads naturally to F major or Ab major.

How to recognise c augmented chord by ear

Augmented sounds "stretched." Both intervals are major thirds, creating a wide, evenly-spaced structure. If a chord feels dreamy and weightless — like the ground has disappeared — that's augmented.

Practice identifying this chord in ChordFrog's Level 5: The Abyss .

Practice tip

Play C major, then raise just the fifth from G to G#. That single semitone transforms the chord from grounded to floating. Practise this one-note shift until you can hear the "lift" that augmented adds without needing to play the comparison.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in a C Augmented chord?
C Augmented (Caug) contains three notes: C, E, Ab. The intervals are Root, Major 3rd, Augmented 5th.
How do I recognise C Augmented by ear?
Augmented sounds "stretched." Both intervals are major thirds, creating a wide, evenly-spaced structure. If a chord feels dreamy and weightless — like the ground has disappeared — that's augmented. Practice identifying C Augmented in ChordFrog's Level 5 (The Abyss).
What level is C Augmented in ChordFrog?
C Augmented is introduced at Level 5: The Abyss. This is the final level, adding diminished and augmented triads for the complete chord vocabulary.

Other C chords

C Major Chord C Minor Chord C Diminished Chord C Sus2 Chord C Sus4 Chord

All Augmented Chords chords

D♭ Augmented Chord D Augmented Chord E♭ Augmented Chord E Augmented Chord F Augmented Chord F♯ Augmented Chord G Augmented Chord A♭ Augmented Chord A Augmented Chord B♭ Augmented Chord B Augmented Chord

Hear c augmented chord for yourself

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