Arpeggio
G♯ aug
Augmented / Diminished
- Formula
- 1 3 ♯5
- Notes
- G♯ B♯ D♯♯
Notation
Fretboard — frets 0–24
Degrees
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G♯ | perfect unison | 0 | The root — the tonal centre every other note is heard against; land on it and the sound resolves. |
| 3 | B♯ | major third | 4 | The major third — the bright note that makes a quality major; it defines the chord's colour and pulls gently toward the root. |
| ♯5 | D♯♯ | augmented fifth | 8 | The augmented fifth — a raised fifth that makes the triad float; aug and the lydian augmented family sound unresolved on purpose. |
About this arpeggio
The augmented triad raises the fifth of a major triad, producing two major thirds stacked on top of each other and a perfectly symmetrical shape. That symmetry means the chord has no fixed root: every note can be heard as the bottom, which gives it its dreamlike, unstable, whole-tone-adjacent character. It rarely sits still — it is a passing chord, a bridge between two stable harmonies, and a favourite of composers who want the ground to shift. On the neck the same shape repeats every four frets. Listen for the raised fifth straining upward and the sense that the chord could resolve in three different directions.
How to practise this arpeggio
- Play the three notes and listen for the raised fifth straining upward.
- Move the same shape up in major thirds and hear it repeat.
- Resolve the augmented triad to a major chord and hear the release.
- Compare it with the major triad to isolate the raised fifth.