Guitar Theory For Dummies: Book + Online Video & Audio Instruction
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Voice leading on the guitar is a technique where a set of chord changes includes notes that lead from one chord to the next. Augmented chords are also used to connect major triads to 6th chords, as in the progression I-Iaug-I6.The augmented chord connects I and I6 with a chromatic line. The 5th of the I chord moves to the 6th of the I6 chord through a sharpened 5th.

Here is this progression in C major with the addition of a I7 chord at the end: C-Caug-C6-C7. You see the chromatic line G-Gs-A-Bf on the 3rd string of the first three measures.

[Credit: Illustration courtesy of Desi Serna]
Credit: Illustration courtesy of Desi Serna

You can see this in Chapter 10, Video Clip 26: Augmented Chromatic Voice Leading.

Take a close look at the pitches. C is built out of the pitches C-E-G; Caug is built out of C-E-Gs; C6 is built out of C-E-A; and C7 is built out of C-E-G-Bf. See how this progression naturally gives rise to the chromatic line G-Gs-A-Bf? In measures 1 through 4, this line appears on the 3rd string. In 5 through 8, this line appears on the 2nd string.

Many songs use augmented chords in voice leading. Here are just a few popular examples:

“Baby Hold On” by Eddie Money uses an augmented chord in the verse. Built out of the chords D and Daug, the augmented chord here comes in on the second half of each line of the verse, creating a sense of harmonic tension that resolves back into the D major chord at the beginning of each new line.
“Because” by The Dave Clark Five has the chords G-Gaug-G6-G7 at one point and augmented chords as dominants with G-Gaug-C-Cm-G and D-Daug-G at another.
“It’s All Been Done” by Barenaked Ladies has the following chord progression in the bridge: D-Daug-D6-D7-G.
“(Just Like) Starting Over” by John Lennon opens with A-Aaug-A6-Aaug.
“Laughing” by The Guess Who has the progression A-Aaug-A6-A7-Dmaj7-Dm7-Csm7-E.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

Desi Serna, hailed as a music theory expert by Rolling Stone magazine, is a guitar player and teacher with over 10,000 hours of experience providing private guitar lessons and classes. He owns and operates one of the most popular guitar theory sites on the web, guitar-music-theory.com.

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