G♭aug: F♯/G♭ Augmented Piano Chord

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

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

Construction

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

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

Fingering

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

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

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

G♭ Augmented Inversions

Root position
G♭ – B♭ – D
1st inversion (G♭aug/B♭)
B♭ – D – G♭
2nd inversion (G♭aug/D)
D – G♭ – B♭

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 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 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:

A♯ Augmented→D Augmented→

G♭ Augmented : Frequently Asked Questions

What notes are in G♭aug?

G♭aug contains G♭, B♭ and D. The formula is 1, 3, ♯5.

How do you play G♭aug on piano?

Play G♭, B♭ and D together. Right hand fingers 1, 3, 5; left hand 5, 3, 1. G♭ and B♭ are black keys; D is white.

What are the inversions of G♭aug?

3 positions: root position G♭ B♭ D, G♭aug/B♭, G♭aug/D.

What is the difference between G♭aug and G♭aug7?

Adds F♭. 3 of the notes are shared.

What is an easy G♭aug for small hands?

The root and third only voicing, G♭3 B♭3, spans 4 semitones or about 55 mm.

What are the frequencies of G♭aug?

From G♭3 at A440 in 12-TET: 185.00, 233.08, 293.66 Hz.

What is the set class of G♭aug?

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

How do I transpose G♭aug 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 F♯aug the same as G♭aug?

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

G♭ 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	G♭3 B♭3 D4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	B♭3 D4 G♭4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	D4 G♭4 B♭4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Open, fifth on top	G♭2 D3 B♭3	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	G♭3 B♭3	4	55 mm	omits D	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	5/3	8	110 mm
First inversion: G♭aug/B♭	B♭	B♭3, D4, G♭4	6/3	8	110 mm
Second inversion: G♭aug/D	D	D4, G♭4, B♭4	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
G♭aug7	adds F♭	1 3 ♯5 ♭7	3
G♭	D becomes D♭	1 3 5	2
G♭maj7	D becomes D♭, F	1 3 5 7	2
G♭7	D becomes D♭, F♭	1 3 5 ♭7	2
G♭6	D becomes D♭, E♭	1 3 5 6	2
G♭add9	D becomes D♭, A♭	1 3 5 9	2
G♭m	B♭, D becomes B♭♭, D♭	1 ♭3 5	1
G♭dim	B♭, D becomes B♭♭, D♭♭	1 ♭3 ♭5	1
G♭sus2	B♭, D becomes A♭, D♭	1 2 5	1
G♭sus4	B♭, D becomes C♭, D♭	1 4 5	1

Frequencies

Note	MIDI	Frequency
G♭3	54	185.00 Hz
B♭3	58	233.08 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: {6, 10, 2}
Normal order: [2, 6, 10]
Prime form: (048)
Forte number: 3-12
Interval vector: <000300>

Pair	Interval	Semitones	Interval class
G♭ to B♭	Major third	4	4
G♭ to D	Minor sixth	8	4
B♭ to D	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 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

Fingerings

G♭ Augmented: notes and degrees