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Music vocabulary · Music Theory and Harmony

Augmented chord

Meaning in music, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In music, augmented chord means: In its basic triad form, a chord containing a root, a major third, and an augmented fifth.

In Turkish: artırılmış akor

How it is used

Used in harmony analysis, composition, and arranging. It often appears to add tension, connect chords, or color a progression.

Example sentences

  1. The songwriter used an augmented chord before the chorus, giving the progression a brief lift that made the return feel dramatic.

    Here the augmented chord adds tension and brightness, preparing the ear for a stronger arrival in the next section.

  2. During analysis, we marked the augmented chord because its raised fifth explained why the harmony sounded unsettled in that bar.

    In this example, augmented chord names a specific chord quality identified by its altered fifth, not just a vague tense sound.

Common collocations

  • play an augmented chord
  • augmented chord voicing
  • augmented chord sound
  • chordThree or more different notes played or sung at the same time. Chords give a piece its harmony and are named after their root note and type, such as C major or A minor.
  • harmonyThe sound of different notes heard together, and the way chords are built and connected. It also means a second vocal line sung above or below the melody.

More terms: Music Theory and Harmony

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