Caug: guitar chord voicings, inversions, scales and arpeggios

Caug (Augmented) is an interactive GuitarArcanum page with chord formula, intervals, voicings, inversions, triads, pentatonic patterns, scales and arpeggios on the fretboard.

Chord formula

Interval formula: 1 3 #5. An augmented triad — root, major 3rd and sharp 5th. A symmetric, hanging chord with no clear rest.

Chord tones

The sharp 5th splits the octave into equal major thirds. Because it's symmetric, the chord has no clear center and pulls upward.

Sound character

Mysterious, lifted and unstable — a whole-tone, floating color.

Harmonic function

Most often a dominant with a raised 5th, or a passing chord pulling upward.

Typical progressions

C – Caug – F
G+ → C
I – I+ – IV

Guitar voicing advice

Compact shapes from the 5th and 4th strings. Because it's symmetric, one shape repeats every four frets.

Fretboard voicings for Caug

A few curated Caug shapes with fret numbers, intervals and root markers.

Caug — C shape, frets 0–4

Caug — A shape, frets 2–7

Caug — G shape, frets 4–9

Caug — E shape, frets 7–12

Caug — D shape, frets 9–14

Compatible scales for Caug

Open interactive scale pages that naturally pair with this chord.

Other chord qualities on the C root

Compare this chord with other qualities sharing the same root.