Symmetric ScalesDegree 1

Augmented Scale

Prismatic glass refracting light into impossible colors. Each facet shows a different hue — simultaneously warm and cool, familiar and strange.

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Scale NotesAugmented Scale in C
C
E♭
E
G
G♯
B
Interval Formula
1♭335♯57
Primary Chord
The tonic chord built from this mode
Cmaj7♯5

Chord Tones

CEG♯B

All Diatonic Chords

Cmaj7♯5D♯maj7♯5Emaj7♯5Gmaj7♯5G♯maj7♯5Bmaj7♯5
Chord Voicings
Guitar voicings for Cmaj7♯5
Cmaj7♯58Root, 7, 3, #5. Shimmering augmented major 7th.
Cmaj7♯5Root, 3, 7, root, ♯5. Full augmented maj7 from 5th string.
Cmaj7♯54Root, 3, 7, ♯5. Augmented maj7 on top strings.
Fretboard

Augmented Scale in C

123456789101112131415EADGBeEGG♯BCD♯EGBCD♯EGG♯BCD♯EGG♯BCD♯EGG♯BCD♯EGG♯BCD♯EGG♯BCEGG♯BCD♯EG
RootCharacteristic toneScale tone
Listen
Audio. Augmented Scale in C
Tempo:
180 BPM

Musical Context

Related Chord Voicings
Extensions, substitutions, and simplifications for Cmaj7♯5

Simplified Voicings

Example Progressions
Progressions where Augmented Scale applies (in C)
Augmented Triad Cycle

Cycle through augmented triads a major 3rd apart.

Practice in Play Along →
Arpeggio Connection
The arpeggio that matches the Cmaj7♯5 chord
Augmented Major 7th
Cmaj7♯5
Tones
C
R
E
3
G♯
#5
B
7
Highlighted = guide tones (define chord quality)

Sound

Glassy, otherworldly, and kaleidoscopic. The augmented scale alternates minor thirds and half steps, creating a hexatonic sound that seems to shimmer between major and minor, between consonance and dissonance. It has an almost crystalline quality — beautiful but alien, like music from a parallel dimension.

Practical Use Cases

  • ●Over augmented major 7th chords (maj7♯5)
  • ●Creating surreal, otherworldly textures
  • ●Modern jazz and contemporary classical composition
  • ●Coltrane-influenced 'sheets of sound' playing

Practical Notes

The augmented scale is built from two augmented triads a half step apart (C-E-G♯ and B-E♭-G in C augmented). It repeats every major 3rd, so C augmented = E augmented = G♯ augmented. This gives you three transposition levels per fingering. The scale works over maj7♯5 chords and can be used for Coltrane-style patterns based on major third cycles. It contains both major and minor 3rds, giving it a unique ambiguity. On guitar, practice it as two interlocking augmented arpeggio shapes. This is a niche but beautiful sound — John Coltrane, Oliver Messiaen, and Wayne Shorter have all explored this territory. Use it sparingly for maximum impact.

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Practice Drills

Ascending & Descending in One PositionBeginnerTechnique
5 min

Play the mode ascending and descending within a single five-fret box. Build muscle memory and connect the sound to the shape.

Three-Notes-Per-String PatternsIntermediateTechnique
10 min

Play the mode using three notes on every string, stretching across the neck. Great for building legato technique and hearing the scale in a linear way.

Emphasize Characteristic Tones on Strong BeatsIntermediateImprovisation
10 min

Create short melodic phrases that land the mode's characteristic tone(s) on beats 1 and 3. This trains you to bring out the sound that defines the mode.

Improvise Over a Matching ChordBeginnerImprovisation
5 min

Play the mode's parent chord as a loop (or use a backing track) and improvise over it for two minutes. This connects the mode to its harmonic context.

Create 3 Licks Using Only Strings 1–3IntermediateImprovisation
10 min

Compose three short licks (2–4 beats each) using only the top three strings. This forces creativity within a constraint and builds upper-register vocabulary.

Resolve from Tension to StabilityIntermediateEar Training
8 min

Practice approaching chord tones from a half step above or below, training your ear to hear tension resolve.

Try Augmented Scale in Play Along

Practice improvising over real chord changes with guided scale and target note suggestions.

Related Modes

Lydian AugmentedIonian ♯5Whole Tone

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