The Augmented chord has a formula of 1 3 #5 and is found in more popular music than one would think. The I+ chord is found in many well known songs and has its source the Harmonic minor scale built on the sixth degree, the relative minor. For example:
C Major = C D E F G A B
A Harmonic minor = A B C D E F G#
Now, when the G# in the A Harmonic minor scale is the 5th of chord III, the C+ chord, it can be used to great effect in a piece in C Major. Most common is C Major followed by C+ and back again, like this example in the song Mama Mia by Abba:
Augmented chords functioning as the dominant (V) is very common too. In fact, George Harrison referred to it as the naughty chord. In C Major, for example, instead of G7 play G+ (G B D#) for a nice effect. To play over this, anything from the E Neapolitan minor to the Whole tone scale can be used, but more often than not, it is used purely as a chord with a simple melody or even one note held over it.
Another well used sequence that uses augmented chords is known as a line cliché. This is basically a chord or chords with a bass line that descends by a semitone, such as in Stairway to Heaven:
A minor – A minor (no root) /G# - C/G – D/F#
The sequence can also rise by a semitone, like this example from Life on Mars:
Ab/Eb – E+ - F minor – Ab7/Gb
Try it, it sounds great.
Here is a list of songs that use the augmented chord, leave a comment below if you have any other song recommendations.
Mama Mia by ABBA
New York I Love But You're Bringing Me Down by LCD Soundsystem.
Stormy Monday by T Bone Walker
Gunner’s Dream by Pink Floyd
Goodbye Stranger by Supertramp
Zanzibar by Billy Joel
Baby Hold On by Eddie Money
Because by The Beatles
Just like starting over by John Lennon
Because by The Dave Clark Five
From Me To You by The Beatles
Please Come Home For Christmas by The Eagles
Hang On Little Tomato by Pink Martini
For Once In my Life by Stevie Wonder
Choke by The Cardigans
Last Night On Earth by Green Day
Still Crazy After All These Years by Paul Simon
Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite by The Beatles
Wishful Sinful by The Doors
Crying by The Guess Who
Us And Them by Pink Floyd
No Particular Place To Go by Chuck Berry
The Warmth Of The Sun by The Beach Boys
Blackout by Muse
Crying by Roy Orbison
It’s My Party by Leslie Gore
Let there Be Love by Oasis
Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin
Life On Mars by David Bowie
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