Chord & FretCaug on electric guitar
On the electric guitar a chord needs only a few clear notes — the amp sustains them and fills the space, so you mute the strings you are not playing and let the tone carry the rest. In this Caug voicing the bass is C and the shape runs from fret 1 to 3, ringing 1 open string. Plugged into an amp, each chord sustains for as long as you hold it, and the tone — clean or driven — shapes the whole sound.
Notes in Caug: C – E – G#Formula: 1 – 3 – #5In the formula, the numbers count steps of the major scale starting from the note that names the chord; "b" lowers a half step, "#" raises one — and a slash names the bass note.
Where to use it: A bridge between two major chords (C → Caug → F), golden-age endings and soundtracks that want a moment of strangeness.
The shapes of Caug on electric guitar don't end on this page — the whole neck holds dozens. In Chord & Fret, you check it note by note, playing any shape as an arpeggio; open every variation on the neck, grouped by bass note; and set a capo — the diagrams redraw above it. Start free. Unlock everything with Pro. Plays offline.
See the whole neck in Chord & Fret →Part of the Triads family.