Piano · Level 6 · Intermediate
Augmented chords in A♭ major on Piano
Don’t just read about Augmented chords in A♭ major. Play it.
Create a free TempoJam account in 30 seconds. Then try the tuner, metronome and Jam Room free for 14 days and record your first take tonight.
Raising the fifth of a major chord gives the augmented chord, a suspenseful sound that pushes towards IV. Combined with a minor iv it creates a bittersweet phrase.
A♭
Notes: A♭ · C · E♭
A♭aug
Notes: A♭ · C · E
D♭
Notes: D♭ · F · A♭
D♭m
Notes: D♭ · F♭ · A♭
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: A♭, A♭aug, D♭ and D♭m. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Keep the right hand curved over the keys and move it as one unit between chords.
- Set the tempo to 63 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Move only the fifth up a half step to make the augmented chord.
- Play the left-hand bass note on beat one and the right-hand chord on every beat.
- Raise the tempo to 84 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for a single rising inner line from the fifth to the sixth.
Listen for
Aim for a single rising inner line from the fifth to the sixth. A common mistake is re-fretting the whole chord instead of moving one note.
Why it works
The raised fifth becomes the third of IV; the minor iv is borrowed from the parallel minor key.
A♭ major has 4 flats; its relative minor key is F minor.
Questions
What are the chords in I–I+–IV–iv in A♭ major?
In A♭ major the progression is A♭ | A♭aug | D♭ | D♭m.
What is the key signature of A♭ major?
A♭ major has 4 flats. Its relative minor is F minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 6 lesson (intermediate). If it feels too hard, start with “Diminished passing chords”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
Start practising free