You Are Reading the First 6 FREE Chapters (470 pages)
The Augmented Chord, or Augmented Triad
As with the diminished chord, both of the internal intervals are consonant (major thirds) in the augmented chord, or augmented triad. The outer interval is a minor sixth, also known as an augmented fifth. Also consonant.
The augmented chord presents yet another harmonic paradox: it is a mighty restless-sounding chord, yet it’s comprised entirely of consonant intervals, both internal and outer.
What’s going on?
As discussed in Chapter 4, dissonance and imbalance usually result when you divide the octave into small equal intervals to create a scale. This is also what happens when you divide the octave into large equal intervals, such as three equal intervals of major thirds or four equal intervals of minor thirds.
Since the internal intervals are identical, both the diminished and augmented triads have no roots. That’s why they sound so unbalanced, and that’s what makes them harmonically interesting and useful.