Guitar chords · Augmented
A+ chord on guitar (Aaug)
A+ (A A chord with a major 3rd and a raised 5th, written +. Its notes split the octave into three equal parts.) has three notes: A, C♯ and E♯ (played as F), the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., 3 and ♯5.
Shapes
How to play A+
Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7.; the other numbers are the chord tones.
A+ has no common A chord played near the nut that uses some unfretted strings, such as the open G, C or Em.. Play it as the E shape at The metal strips across the neck, and the spaces between them. Each fret raises a string by one half step. 5 or the A shape at fret 12. A A chord or scale fingering with no open strings. Slide it up or down the neck and it changes its root but not its type: a major shape stays major. keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., on the lowest played string, names the chord.
E shape · fret 5
A shape · fret 12
Notes and formula
What makes A+ augmented
An A chord with a major 3rd and a raised 5th, written +. Its notes split the octave into three equal parts. chord raises the 5th of a major chord by a The smallest distance in Western music: one fret on the guitar, such as E to F or F to F♯.. Its notes split the The distance of twelve half steps, where a note comes round to the same name. Twelve frets up a string is an octave. into three equal parts, which gives it a floating, unsettled sound that wants to move on.
- 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
- 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
- 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.
The 3rd and the ♯5th make A+ an A chord with a major 3rd and a raised 5th, written +. Its notes split the octave into three equal parts. chord.
- ARroot
- C♯3essential
- E♯♯5essential
- A, the root
- Other chord tones
A+ is usually a passing chord: its raised 5th climbs on, as in A, A+, D or A, A+, F♯m. Its three notes are evenly spaced, so the same shape is also D♭+ and F+.
Keys
Keys with A+
A+ belongs to one key: F♯ minor (III+, The natural minor scale with its 7th raised a half step, which makes the V chord major and gives it a strong pull home.).
Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work
Slash chords
A+ over another bass note
A A chord with a different note in the bass, written after a slash: C/E is a C chord with E as its lowest note. The letter after the slash is the bass. keeps A+ on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.
- A+/C♯
A+ with its 3rd, C♯, in the bass: the first inversion.
- A+/E♯
A+ with its ♯5th, E♯, in the bass: the second inversion.
Same root
Other chords on A
Change one or two notes and the same The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7. gives a different colour. Compare them by ear.
- A major
- Am minor
- A7 dominant 7th
- Amaj7 major 7th
- Am7 minor 7th
- Asus2 suspended 2nd
- Asus4 suspended 4th
- A6 major 6th
- Am6 minor 6th
- Aadd9 add 9
- A9 dominant 9th
- Amaj9 major 9th
- Am9 minor 9th
- A13 dominant 13th
- Amaj13 major 13th
- Am11 minor 11th
- A° diminished
- Am7♭5 half-diminished 7th
- A°7 diminished 7th
- A5 power chord
- A7sus4 dominant 7th suspended 4th
- Am(maj7) minor major 7th
- A6/9 six-nine
- Am(add9) minor add 9
- A7♯9 dominant 7th sharp 9th
Questions
A+, in short
- What notes are in the A+ chord?
- A+ (A A chord with a major 3rd and a raised 5th, written +. Its notes split the octave into three equal parts.) has three notes: A, C♯ and E♯ (played as F), the The note a chord is named after and built up from. C is the root of C, Cm and C7., 3 and ♯5.
- How do you play A+ on guitar?
- A+ has no common A chord played near the nut that uses some unfretted strings, such as the open G, C or Em.. Play it as the E shape at The metal strips across the neck, and the spaces between them. Each fret raises a string by one half step. 5 or the A shape at fret 12.
- What key is A+ in?
- A+ belongs to one key: F♯ minor (III+, The natural minor scale with its 7th raised a half step, which makes the V chord major and gives it a strong pull home.).