Baug: B Augmented Piano Chord

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

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

Construction

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

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

Fingering

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

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

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

B Augmented Inversions

Root position
B – D♯ – F♯♯
1st inversion (Baug/D♯)
D♯ – F♯♯ – B
2nd inversion (Baug/F♯♯)
F♯♯ – B – D♯

Key Signature

A Augmented 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♯♯ aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell the following:

D♯ Augmented→G Augmented→

B Augmented : Frequently Asked Questions

What notes are in Baug?

Baug contains B, D♯ and F×. The formula is 1, 3, ♯5.

How do you play Baug on piano?

Play B, D♯ and F× together. Right hand fingers 1, 3, 5; left hand 5, 3, 1. D♯ is a black key; B and F× are white.

What are the inversions of Baug?

3 positions: root position B D♯ F×, Baug/D♯, Baug/F×.

What is the difference between Baug and Baug7?

Adds A. 3 of the notes are shared.

What is an easy Baug for small hands?

The root and third only voicing, B3 D♯4, spans 4 semitones or about 55 mm.

What are the frequencies of Baug?

From B3 at A440 in 12-TET: 246.94, 311.13, 392.00 Hz.

What is the set class of Baug?

Prime form (048), Forte 3-12, interval vector <000300>.

How do I transpose Baug to another key?

Keep the 1, 3, ♯5 formula on the new root. Caug is C, E, G♯; D♭aug is D♭, F, A.

Is C♭aug the same as Baug?

Enharmonically yes: the same piano keys and the same sound, spelled differently.

B Augmented 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	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	D♯4 F×4 B4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	F×4 B4 D♯5	8	110 mm	none	identical
Open, fifth on top	B2 F×3 D♯4	16	220 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	Fit
Root and third only	B3 D♯4	4	55 mm	omits F×	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	5/3	8	110 mm
First inversion: Baug/D♯	D♯	D♯4, F×4, B4	6/3	8	110 mm
Second inversion: Baug/F×	F×	F×4, B4, D♯5	6/4	8	110 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
Baug7	adds A	1 3 ♯5 ♭7	3
B	F× becomes F♯	1 3 5	2
Bmaj7	F× becomes F♯, A♯	1 3 5 7	2
B7	F× becomes F♯, A	1 3 5 ♭7	2
B6	F× becomes F♯, G♯	1 3 5 6	2
Badd9	F× becomes F♯, C♯	1 3 5 9	2
Bm	D♯, F× becomes D, F♯	1 ♭3 5	1
Bdim	D♯, F× becomes D, F	1 ♭3 ♭5	1
Bsus2	D♯, F× becomes C♯, F♯	1 2 5	1
Bsus4	D♯, F× becomes E, F♯	1 4 5	1

Frequencies

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

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

Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector

Absolute pitch class set: {11, 3, 7}
Normal order: [3, 7, 11]
Prime form: (048)
Forte number: 3-12
Interval vector: <000300>

Pair	Interval	Semitones	Interval class
B to D♯	Major third	4	4
B to F×	Minor sixth	8	4
D♯ to F×	Major third	4	4

Where these facts come from

Every value on this page is derived from the note formula for a augmented 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

Fingerings

B Augmented: notes and degrees