B♭ augmented chord on guitar (B♭aug)

B♭aug is B♭, D and F♯. The usual shape is x-1-0-3-3-2. Hit Play and watch each string light as it sounds.

How to play B♭aug on guitar

Shape 1, x-1-0-3-3-2, reading from the low E string on the left:

1. Put your index finger on the A string at the 1st fret, which is B♭.
2. Put your middle finger on the high E string at the 2nd fret, which is F♯.
3. Put your ring finger on the G string at the 3rd fret, which is B♭.
4. Put your pinky finger on the B string at the 3rd fret, which is D.
5. The open D string adds D; don't touch it.
6. Skip the low E string and begin the strum from the A string.

• If an open string sounds dead, a fingertip is leaning on it. Come down more on the tips, with your knuckles bent.
• The pinky takes a note here. Keep it curved and close to the fretboard between chords so it has less distance to travel.

Other ways to play B♭aug

• x-13-12-11-11-x: movable shape at the 11th fret, medium. The root is on the A string; it's the Aaug shape moved up the neck.
• x-x-8-7-7-6: movable shape at the 6th fret, medium. Fewer strings, so it sounds lighter and is quicker to change to.

Capo shortcuts for B♭aug

With a capo you can skip the harder shapes: capo on the 6th fret and play the open Eaug shape (0-3-2-1-1-0). Everything above the capo is fingered exactly like the open chord.

B♭aug chord changes

The chords B♭aug usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.

• E♭ (the raised fifth pushes up into the IV): B♭aug (x-1-0-3-3-2) to E♭ (x-x-1-3-4-3): the index finger slides across to the D string at the same fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 3rd fret, move the ring finger to the high E string, 3rd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. Listen for B♭, which stays put while the rest moves. E♭ on guitar
• F (V in B♭ major): B♭aug (x-1-0-3-3-2) to F (1-3-3-2-1-1): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 2nd fret, the ring finger goes to the A string, 3rd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. F on guitar
• Gm (vi in B♭ major): B♭aug (x-1-0-3-3-2) to Gm (3-5-5-3-3-3): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 3rd fret, your middle finger lands on the A string, 5th fret, move the ring finger to the D string, 5th fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. B♭ and D carry over from one chord to the other. Gm on guitar

B♭aug is an augmented triad: two major thirds stacked, with a raised fifth. B♭aug is a stepping stone: it often moves on to the IV chord, with the raised fifth rising one more half step. On guitar you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

A short B♭aug drill

Arpeggiate x-1-0-3-3-2 from the lowest string: B♭, D, B♭, D, F♯. Then strum it and listen for the same 5 notes together. Finish by moving between x-1-0-3-3-2 and x-13-12-11-11-x to learn two positions of the same chord.

You may also see it as A♯aug; nothing changes on the guitar.

Where B♭aug shows up

B♭aug on piano and ukulele

B♭aug on piano and ukulele uses the same 3 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Next to try on guitar

• B♭
• B♭dim
• B♭7
• B♭add9

Other augmented chords

• Caug
• D♭aug
• Daug
• E♭aug
• Eaug
• Faug
• G♭aug
• Gaug
• A♭aug
• Aaug
• Baug

Shapes and sound are generated from the notes B♭, D and F♯ and tested automatically. Updated September 2026. Print this chord