A7♯5 Chord on Guitar

A7♯5 is the A augmented 7th chord — 4 notes (A, C♯, E♯, G) built from the formula 1 3 ♯5 ♭7. Below are playable shapes across the fretboard, the keys it belongs to and the scales to use when soloing over it.

Notes: A · C♯ · E♯ · GFormula: 1 · 3 · ♯5 · ♭7Hear it and see it on the fretboard ▸

A7♯5: Chord shapes (open & barre)

  • A7♯5 – open position×R♯5♭73♯5open position
  • A7♯5 – fret 55R♯5♭73♯5Rfret 5
  • A7♯5 – fret 77××R♯5♭73fret 7
  • A7♯5 – fret 1212×R♯5♭73♯5fret 12

A7♯5: Drop 2 voicings

  • A7♯5 – bass: ♯511♯5R3♭7××bass: ♯5
  • A7♯5 – bass: ♯56×♯5R3♭7×bass: ♯5
  • A7♯5 – bass: ♯5××♯5R3♭7bass: ♯5
  • A7♯5 – bass: ♭7♭73♯5R××bass: ♭7
  • A7♯5 – bass: ♭710×♭73♯5R×bass: ♭7
  • A7♯5 – bass: ♭75××♭73♯5Rbass: ♭7
  • A7♯5 – bass: R5R♯5♭73××bass: R
  • A7♯5 – bass: R12×R♯5♭73×bass: R
  • A7♯5 – bass: R7××R♯5♭73bass: R
  • A7♯5 – bass: 373♭7R♯5××bass: 3
  • A7♯5 – bass: 32×3♭7R♯5×bass: 3
  • A7♯5 – bass: 310××3♭7R♯5bass: 3

A7♯5: Drop 3 voicings

  • A7♯5 – bass: 373×R♯5♭7×bass: 3
  • A7♯5 – bass: 32×3×R♯5♭7bass: 3
  • A7♯5 – bass: ♯510♯5×3♭7R×bass: ♯5
  • A7♯5 – bass: ♯55×♯5×3♭7Rbass: ♯5
  • A7♯5 – bass: ♭7♭7×♯5R3×bass: ♭7
  • A7♯5 – bass: ♭79×♭7×♯5R3bass: ♭7
  • A7♯5 – bass: R5R×♭73♯5×bass: R
  • A7♯5 – bass: R12×R×♭73♯5bass: R

A7♯5: Shell voicings (jazz)

  • A7♯5 – R-3-7R3♭7×××R-3-7
  • A7♯5 – R-3-711×R3♭7××R-3-7
  • A7♯5 – R-7-35R×♭73××R-7-3
  • A7♯5 – R-7-312×R×♭73×R-7-3

Scales to play over A7♯5

Ordered from the most common choice. All of them contain A, C♯, E♯, G.

Other A chords

Augmented 7th chords in other keys

FAQ

What notes are in the A7♯5 chord?
A7♯5 (A augmented 7th) contains A, C♯, E♯, G — formula 1 3 ♯5 ♭7.
How do you play A7♯5 on guitar?
A common shape is x03021 (low E to high E, x = muted string, open position). This page shows more shapes, drop 2, drop 3 and shell voicings in the interactive library.
What scale goes with A7♯5?
Good choices to solo over A7♯5: A Whole tone, A Altered (Superlocrian), A Phrygian dominant.