Caug guitar chord
How to play Caug on guitar — the notes C, E, G♯, a shape you can tap to hear, the keys it lives in, and a progression to hear it in context. Free.
The shape
Tap the diagram to hear Caug strummed. Caug is played as a barre chord around fret 3: lay a finger across the strings at that fret and build the shape on top. Movable, so the same grip works up and down the neck.
The notes in Caug
A augmented chord is spelled from its root up: C (R), E (3), G♯ (♯5). Those are the only notes in Caug — play them in any order, in any octave, and it's still Caug.
What a augmented chord is
In plain terms, an augmented triad raises the fifth of a major chord (root, 3rd, ♯5) — like a diminished chord, it's symmetrical, splitting the octave into equal thirds.
How it's used: A restless connector: it most often works as a passing chord — classically I → I⁺ → vi, where the ♯5 climbs a half step to become the root of the next chord.
The sound: Dreamlike, unsettled, floating — neither major nor minor, hovering between. Where you'll hear it: The lift between chords in soul and jazz, spy-movie themes, '60s pop.
Other C chords
augmented chords on other roots
Chords and their spellings are shared facts of music theory. Every diagram and sound here is generated by ThunderFret's own engine — no tabs, lyrics or recordings are reproduced.
Open Caug in the interactive tool to see every place it sits on the neck, hear it, and find the shape that fits your hand — free.
See Caug on the fretboardFrequently asked
What notes are in Caug?
Caug is made of 3 notes: C (the R), E (the 3), G♯ (the ♯5).
How do you play Caug on guitar?
Caug is played as a barre chord around fret 3: lay a finger across the strings at that fret and build the shape on top. Movable, so the same grip works up and down the neck.
When would I use Caug?
The lift between chords in soul and jazz, spy-movie themes, '60s pop.