Chord chart

Caug Chord on Guitar: 3 Easy Ways to Play C Augmented (Charts)

Caug chord charts with finger numbers, an easier version, the notes and intervals, and the keys and progressions that use it. Also searched as caug chord, caug guitar chord and how to play Caug.

By David Sandy, guitar player and founder of Sandy Music Lab. Every chord shape on this page is checked note by note against the chord's formula.

Caug chord diagram, Open positionCaug Open position: low E muted, A fret 3, D fret 2, G fret 1, B fret 1, high e open.×4312x 3 2 1 1 0
Open position
x 3 2 1 1 0
Caug chord diagram, Easy 3-string versionCaug Easy 3-string version: low E muted, A muted, D muted, G fret 5, B fret 5, high e fret 4.×××231x x x 5 5 4
Easy 3-string version
x x x 5 5 4
Caug chord diagram, Movable shape (1st fret)Caug Movable shape (1st fret): low E muted, A fret 3, D fret 2, G fret 1, B fret 1, high e muted.×4312×x 3 2 1 1 x
Movable shape (1st fret)
x 3 2 1 1 x

Numbers are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky, T thumb). × = don't play that string, ○ = play it open. A long bar is a barre: one finger flat across those strings. Strings run low E (left) to high e (right).

Chord chart by Sandy Music Lab

Quick answer: To play Caug (C augmented) on guitar, play x 3 2 1 1 0 from the low E string to the high e string (the open position shape). The chord contains C, E, G#. If that is hard, use the easier shape x x x 5 5 4, which needs 3 fretted notes.

Caug chord facts

Chord Caug (C augmented)
Other names C+, C#5
Notes C, E, G#
Intervals C (root), E (major 3rd), G# (augmented 5th)
Formula 1-3-#5
Difficulty Beginner (easy version) to intermediate (full shape)
Shapes on this page 3

How do you play Caug on guitar?

The main shape is x 3 2 1 1 0 (Open position). Finger by finger:

  1. Put your index finger (1) on the G string at fret 1 (G#, the augmented 5th).
  2. Put your middle finger (2) on the B string at fret 1 (C, the root).