G♯aug: G♯/A♭ 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♯	white	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:

C Augmented→E 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♯ is a black key; B♯ and D× are 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♯4, spans 4 semitones or about 55 mm.

What are the frequencies of G♯aug?

From G♯3 at A440 in 12-TET: 207.65, 261.63, 329.63 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 A♭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♯4 D×4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	B♯4 D×4 G♯4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	D×4 G♯4 B♯5	8	110 mm	none	identical
Open, fifth on top	G♯2 D×3 B♯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	G♯3 B♯4	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♯4, D×4	5/3	8	110 mm
First inversion: G♯aug/B♯	B♯	B♯4, D×4, G♯4	6/3	8	110 mm
Second inversion: G♯aug/D×	D×	D×4, G♯4, B♯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
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	56	207.65 Hz
B♯4	60	261.63 Hz
D×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: {8, 0, 4}
Normal order: [0, 4, 8]
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