Baug7: B Augmented 7th Piano Chord

Root position: either hand, fingers low note to high
Hand	Notes	Fingers
Right	B, D♯, F×, A	1-2-3-5
Left	B, D♯, F×, A	5-3-2-1

Scale degree, note, and interval measured from the root.
Degree	Note	Interval from root	Semitones
1	B	Perfect unison	0
3	D♯	Major third	4
♯5	F×	Minor sixth	8
♭7	A	Minor seventh	10

Construction

B Augmented 7th = Root + Major 3rd + Minor 6th + Minor 7th = B, D♯, F♯♯, A

Note	Interval	Degree
B	Root	1
D♯	Major 3rd	3
F♯♯	Minor 6th	♯5
A	Minor 7th	♭7

Fingering

Note	Key color	Right hand	Left hand
B	white	thumb (1)	little finger (5)
D♯	black	index finger (2)	middle finger (3)
F♯♯	white	middle finger (3)	index finger (2)
A	white	little finger (5)	thumb (1)

Right hand: thumb (1) on B, index finger (2) on D♯, middle finger (3) on F♯♯, little finger (5) on A.

Left hand: little finger (5) on B, middle finger (3) on D♯, index finger (2) on F♯♯, thumb (1) on A.

B Augmented 7th Inversions

Root position
B – D♯ – F♯♯ – A
1st inversion (Baug7/D♯)
D♯ – F♯♯ – A – B
2nd inversion (Baug7/F♯♯)
F♯♯ – A – B – D♯
3rd inversion (Baug7/A)
A – B – D♯ – F♯♯

Key Signature

A Augmented 7th chord is built from symmetrical or ambiguous intervals, so it doesn't belong to a single key and has no key signature of its own.

Chords in the Key of B Major

These are the triads built on each degree of B Major:

I — B Major (major)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	I	B Major	Major
2	ii	C♯ Minor	Minor
3	iii	D♯ Minor	Minor
4	IV	E Major	Major
5	V	F♯ Major	Major
6	vi	G♯ Minor	Minor
7	vii°	A♯ Diminished	Diminished

Same Notes, Other Names

The notes B – D♯ – F♯♯ – A aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell:

B 7♯5→

B Augmented 7th : Frequently Asked Questions

What is the B Augmented 7th chord on piano?

The B Augmented 7th chord contains the notes B – D♯ – F♯♯ – A. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.

What notes are in the B Augmented 7th chord?

The B Augmented 7th chord (B+7) contains four notes: B (root), D# (major third), F## (augmented fifth, enharmonically G), and A (minor seventh). It combines an augmented triad with a minor seventh.

How does B Augmented 7th differ from B Dominant 7th?

Both contain B, D#, and A. B+7 has F##/G (augmented fifth) while B7 has F# (perfect fifth). The raised fifth adds extra chromatic tension.

How is B Augmented 7th used in music?

B+7 is an altered dominant resolving to E Major. The F##/G pulls up to G# while A pulls down to G#: converging on the third of E. Common in jazz and blues in the key of E.

What genres use Augmented 7th chords?

Augmented 7th chords are common in jazz, gospel, blues, and R&B for adding emotional intensity to dominant resolutions.

What songs use Augmented 7th chords?

Augmented 7th chords appear in jazz standards and blues. B+7 resolves to E Major, a very common key in blues and rock.

What is the difference between +7 and 7#5?

They are the same chord. B+7, B7#5, and Baug7 all refer to B Augmented 7th.

B Augmented 7th in detail

Exact

Every pitch class is present and nothing outside the chord is added.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Close, root position	B3 D♯4 F×4 A4	10	138 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	D♯4 F×4 A4 B4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	F×4 A4 B4 D♯5	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, third inversion	A4 B4 D♯5 F×5	10	138 mm	none	identical
Drop 2	F×3 B3 D♯4 A4	14	193 mm	none	identical
Drop 3	D♯3 B3 F×4 A4	18	248 mm	none	identical
Drop 2 and 4	B2 F×3 D♯4 A4	22	303 mm	none	identical

Reduced

A subset of the pitch classes: the identity is incomplete rather than altered.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Shell, root ♭7 3	B2 A3 D♯4	16	220 mm	omits F×	subset
Guide tones, 3 and ♭7	D♯4 A4	6	83 mm	omits B and F×	subset
Rootless close	D♯4 F×4 A4	6	83 mm	omits B	subset

Spans are measured centre to centre at a 165 mm octave (standard keyboard geometry).

Position	Bass note	Notes in order	Figured bass	Semitones	Span
Root position	B	B3, D♯4, F×4, A4	7	10	138 mm
First inversion: Baug7/D♯	D♯	D♯4, F×4, A4, B4	6/5	8	110 mm
Second inversion: Baug7/F×	F×	F×4, A4, B4, D♯5	4/3	8	110 mm
Third inversion: Baug7/A	A	A4, B4, D♯5, F×5	4/2	10	138 mm

One position per chord tone in the bass. Spans are for close position: voiced inversions appear under Voicings.

Change one note

Chords a single note away, and what moving that note does.

Chord	Change	Formula	Common tones
Baug	drops A	1 3 ♯5	3
B7	F× becomes F♯	1 3 5 ♭7	3
B9	F× becomes F♯, C♯	1 3 5 ♭7 9	3
B	F×, A becomes F♯	1 3 5	2
Bmaj7	F×, A becomes F♯, A♯	1 3 5 7	2
Bm7	D♯, F× becomes D, F♯	1 ♭3 5 ♭7	2
Bm7♭5	D♯, F× becomes D, F	1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7	2
B7sus4	D♯, F× becomes E, F♯	1 4 5 ♭7	2
B6	F×, A becomes F♯, G♯	1 3 5 6	2
Badd9	F×, A becomes F♯, C♯	1 3 5 9	2

Frequencies

Note	MIDI	Frequency
B3	59	246.94 Hz
D♯4	63	311.13 Hz
F×4	67	392.00 Hz
A4	69	440.00 Hz

Reference pitch A440, 12-TET, close root position.

Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector

Absolute pitch class set: {11, 3, 7, 9}
Normal order: [7, 9, 11, 3]
Prime form: (0248)
Forte number: 4-24
Interval vector: <020301>

Pair	Interval	Semitones	Interval class
B to D♯	Major third	4	4
B to F×	Minor sixth	8	4
B to A	Minor seventh	10	2
D♯ to F×	Major third	4	4
D♯ to A	Tritone	6	6
F× to A	Major second	2	2

Where these facts come from

Every value on this page is derived from the note formula for a augmented 7th applied to the root B, using standard music theory. Nothing here is hand-entered per chord, so the notes, intervals, inversions and frequencies cannot drift out of agreement with each other. Pitches assume 12-TET at A440.

B Augmented 7th

Fingerings

B Augmented 7th: notes and degrees