Eaug7: E Augmented 7th Piano Chord

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

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

Construction

E Augmented 7th = Root + Major 3rd + Minor 6th + Minor 7th = E, G♯, B♯, D

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

Fingering

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

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

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

E Augmented 7th Inversions

Root position
E – G♯ – B♯ – D
1st inversion (Eaug7/G♯)
G♯ – B♯ – D – E
2nd inversion (Eaug7/B♯)
B♯ – D – E – G♯
3rd inversion (Eaug7/D)
D – E – G♯ – B♯

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 E Major

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

I — E Major (major)

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

Same Notes, Other Names

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

E 7♯5→

E Augmented 7th : Frequently Asked Questions

What is the E Augmented 7th chord on piano?

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

What notes are in the E Augmented 7th chord?

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

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

Both contain E, G#, and D. E+7 has B# (augmented fifth) while E7 has B (perfect fifth). The raised fifth adds extra chromatic tension.

How is E Augmented 7th used in music?

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

What genres use Augmented 7th chords?

Augmented 7th chords are common in jazz, gospel, blues, and R&B. E+7 appears frequently in blues-influenced music where E is the I or V chord.

What songs use Augmented 7th chords?

Augmented 7th chords appear in jazz standards and blues. E+7 resolves to A Major, appearing in blues-rock and jazz contexts.

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

They are the same chord. E+7, E7#5, and Eaug7 all refer to E Augmented 7th.

E 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	E3 G♯3 B♯4 D4	10	138 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	G♯3 B♯4 D4 E4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	B♯4 D4 E4 G♯4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, third inversion	D4 E4 G♯4 B♯5	10	138 mm	none	identical
Drop 2	B♯3 E3 G♯3 D4	14	193 mm	none	identical
Drop 3	G♯2 E3 B♯4 D4	18	248 mm	none	identical
Drop 2 and 4	E2 B♯3 G♯3 D4	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	E2 D3 G♯3	16	220 mm	omits B♯	subset
Guide tones, 3 and ♭7	G♯3 D4	6	83 mm	omits E and B♯	subset
Rootless close	G♯3 B♯4 D4	6	83 mm	omits E	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	E	E3, G♯3, B♯4, D4	7	10	138 mm
First inversion: Eaug7/G♯	G♯	G♯3, B♯4, D4, E4	6/5	8	110 mm
Second inversion: Eaug7/B♯	B♯	B♯4, D4, E4, G♯4	4/3	8	110 mm
Third inversion: Eaug7/D	D	D4, E4, G♯4, B♯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
Eaug	drops D	1 3 ♯5	3
E7	B♯ becomes B	1 3 5 ♭7	3
E9	B♯ becomes B, F♯	1 3 5 ♭7 9	3
E	B♯, D becomes B	1 3 5	2
Emaj7	B♯, D becomes B, D♯	1 3 5 7	2
Em7	G♯, B♯ becomes G, B	1 ♭3 5 ♭7	2
Em7♭5	G♯, B♯ becomes G, B♭	1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7	2
E7sus4	G♯, B♯ becomes A, B	1 4 5 ♭7	2
E6	B♯, D becomes B, C♯	1 3 5 6	2
Eadd9	B♯, D becomes B, F♯	1 3 5 9	2

Frequencies

Note	MIDI	Frequency
E3	52	164.81 Hz
G♯3	56	207.65 Hz
B♯4	60	261.63 Hz
D4	62	293.66 Hz

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

Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector

Absolute pitch class set: {4, 8, 0, 2}
Normal order: [0, 2, 4, 8]
Prime form: (0248)
Forte number: 4-24
Interval vector: <020301>

Pair	Interval	Semitones	Interval class
E to G♯	Major third	4	4
E to B♯	Minor sixth	8	4
E to D	Minor seventh	10	2
G♯ to B♯	Major third	4	4
G♯ to D	Tritone	6	6
B♯ to D	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 E, 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.

E Augmented 7th

Fingerings

E Augmented 7th: notes and degrees