G♭aug7: F♯/G♭ Augmented 7th Piano Chord

Root position: either hand, fingers low note to high
Hand	Notes	Fingers
Right	G♭, B♭, D, F♭	2-3-4-5
Left	G♭, B♭, D, F♭	5-4-3-2

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

Construction

G♭ Augmented 7th = Root + Major 3rd + Minor 6th + Minor 7th = G♭, B♭, D, F♭

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

Fingering

Note	Key color	Right hand	Left hand
G♭	black	index finger (2)	little finger (5)
B♭	black	middle finger (3)	ring finger (4)
D	white	ring finger (4)	middle finger (3)
F♭	white	little finger (5)	index finger (2)

Right hand: index finger (2) on G♭, middle finger (3) on B♭, ring finger (4) on D, little finger (5) on F♭.

Left hand: little finger (5) on G♭, ring finger (4) on B♭, middle finger (3) on D, index finger (2) on F♭.

G♭ Augmented 7th Inversions

Root position
G♭ – B♭ – D – F♭
1st inversion (G♭aug7/B♭)
B♭ – D – F♭ – G♭
2nd inversion (G♭aug7/D)
D – F♭ – G♭ – B♭
3rd inversion (G♭aug7/F♭)
F♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D

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 G♭ Major

These are the triads built on each degree of G♭ Major:

I — G♭ Major (major)

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

Same Notes, Other Names

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

F♯ 7♯5→

G♭ Augmented 7th : Frequently Asked Questions

What is the G♭ Augmented 7th chord on piano?

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

What notes are in the Gb Augmented 7th chord?

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

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

Both contain Gb, Bb, and Fb. Gb+7 has D (augmented fifth) while Gb7 has Db (perfect fifth). The raised fifth adds extra tension.

How is Gb Augmented 7th used in music?

Gb+7 is an altered dominant resolving to Cb/B Major. The D pulls up to Eb while Fb pulls down to Eb: converging voice leading. In practice, the enharmonic F#+7 is more commonly used.

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 gospel. Whether spelled Gb+7 or F#+7, the sound is identical.

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

They are the same chord. Gb+7, Gb7#5, and Gbaug7 all refer to Gb Augmented 7th.

G♭ 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	G♭3 B♭3 D4 F♭4	10	138 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	B♭3 D4 F♭4 G♭4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	D4 F♭4 G♭4 B♭4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, third inversion	F♭4 G♭4 B♭4 D5	10	138 mm	none	identical
Drop 2	D3 G♭3 B♭3 F♭4	14	193 mm	none	identical
Drop 3	B♭2 G♭3 D4 F♭4	18	248 mm	none	identical
Drop 2 and 4	G♭2 D3 B♭3 F♭4	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	G♭2 F♭3 B♭3	16	220 mm	omits D	subset
Guide tones, 3 and ♭7	B♭3 F♭4	6	83 mm	omits G♭ and D	subset
Rootless close	B♭3 D4 F♭4	6	83 mm	omits G♭	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	G♭	G♭3, B♭3, D4, F♭4	7	10	138 mm
First inversion: G♭aug7/B♭	B♭	B♭3, D4, F♭4, G♭4	6/5	8	110 mm
Second inversion: G♭aug7/D	D	D4, F♭4, G♭4, B♭4	4/3	8	110 mm
Third inversion: G♭aug7/F♭	F♭	F♭4, G♭4, B♭4, D5	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
G♭aug	drops F♭	1 3 ♯5	3
G♭7	D becomes D♭	1 3 5 ♭7	3
G♭9	D becomes D♭, A♭	1 3 5 ♭7 9	3
G♭	D, F♭ becomes D♭	1 3 5	2
G♭maj7	D, F♭ becomes D♭, F	1 3 5 7	2
G♭m7	B♭, D becomes B♭♭, D♭	1 ♭3 5 ♭7	2
G♭m7♭5	B♭, D becomes B♭♭, D♭♭	1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7	2
G♭7sus4	B♭, D becomes C♭, D♭	1 4 5 ♭7	2
G♭6	D, F♭ becomes D♭, E♭	1 3 5 6	2
G♭add9	D, F♭ becomes D♭, A♭	1 3 5 9	2

Frequencies

Note	MIDI	Frequency
G♭3	54	185.00 Hz
B♭3	58	233.08 Hz
D4	62	293.66 Hz
F♭4	64	329.63 Hz

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

Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector

Absolute pitch class set: {6, 10, 2, 4}
Normal order: [2, 4, 6, 10]
Prime form: (0248)
Forte number: 4-24
Interval vector: <020301>

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

G♭ Augmented 7th

Fingerings

G♭ Augmented 7th: notes and degrees