C augmented chord on piano (Caug)
Caug is C, E and G♯. C sits just left of the pair of black keys. Tap Play, then slow it down.
root position · C–E–G♯ · right hand 1-3-5
- Notes
- C · E · G♯
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · ♯5
How to play Caug on piano
Count keys (black and white) from C: 4 half steps up to E then 4 half steps up to G♯. Press the 3 keys together and that's Caug.
- Right hand: 1 on C, 3 on E and 5 on G♯.
- Left hand: 5 on C, 3 on E and 1 on G♯.
- On the keyboard it's white, white and black keys, the same pattern as Faug and Gaug, so your hand shape carries over.
Caug inversions
- root position: C–E–G♯. Fingers 1-3-5.
- 1st inversion: E–G♯–C (E in the bass). RH 1-2-5.
- 2nd inversion: G♯–C–E (G♯ in the bass). Right hand 1-3-5.
Nobody plays every chord in root position. The inversions let Caug sit wherever the previous chord left your hand.
Changing from Caug to the chords around it
These are the changes you'll meet most often with Caug, using the first shape of each chord.
- F (the raised fifth pushes up into the IV): Caug to F: play F in 2nd inversion (C–F–A) and C stays under the same finger, while E moves up to F and G♯ up to A. F on piano
- G (V in C major): Caug to G: play G in 1st inversion (B–D–G), while C moves down to B, E down to D and G♯ down to G. G on piano
- Am (vi in C major): Caug to Am: play Am in 1st inversion (C–E–A) and C and E stay under the same fingers, while G♯ moves up to A. Am on piano
Caug is an augmented triad: two major thirds stacked, with a raised fifth. Caug is a stepping stone: it often moves on to the IV chord, with the raised fifth rising one more half step. The one-by-one button above makes that quality easy to hear.
Getting Caug under your fingers
Play Caug broken, one key at a time: C, E, G♯, E, C. Then press the keys together and check that all 3 sound at the same volume. Next, walk up through C–E–G♯ → E–G♯–C → G♯–C–E without lifting your eyes to your hand.
The keys of Caug
Caug is a augmented chord, 1–3–♯5 from C. Root position, from the bottom: how Caug is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| E | white key | RH 3 · LH 3 | major third |
| G♯ | black key | RH 5 · LH 1 | augmented fifth |
Caug in context
Caug on guitar and ukulele
Switching instruments? Try Caug on ukulele or Caug on guitar, or compare them on the Caug chord page.
Close to Caug
Other augmented chords
Caug on piano: questions
What notes are in Caug on piano?
C, E and G♯: C (white key), E (white key) and G♯ (black key). Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1.
How do you play Caug on piano?
Press C, E and G♯ together (1 black, 2 white). Right hand: 1 on C, 3 on E and 5 on G♯.
What are the inversions of Caug?
1st inversion (E–G♯–C) and 2nd inversion (G♯–C–E), after root position (C–E–G♯). Same notes, a different one at the bottom.
What does Caug look like on the keyboard?
white, white and black keys, the same pattern as Faug and Gaug, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Caug. Updated September 2026.