Piano · Level 6 · Intermediate
Augmented chords in A major on Piano
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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
Aaug
Notes: A · C♯ · E♯
D
Notes: D · F♯ · A
Dm
Notes: D · F · A
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: A, Aaug, D and Dm. 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 3 sharps; 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 | Aaug | D | Dm.
What is the key signature of A major?
A major has 3 sharps. 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”.
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