Guitar Theory Studio
Scale

Db Augmented Scale

The Db augmented scale (also written C#) — Db E F Ab A C — with its intervals, the chords it fits and every position on the guitar neck.

Also written C# augmented. C# and Db are the same pitch — Db is the spelling in common use.

Db Augmented Scale on the guitar fretboard13578910121415eBGDAEEFAbACDbEFCDbEFAbACDbAbACDbEFAbAEFAbACDbEFACDbEFAbACEFAbACDbEF

Tap any note on the neck.

Swipe the neck sideways to see the higher frets.

Notes
Db   E   F   Ab   A   C
Intervals
1   #2   3   5   #5   7
Step pattern
W+H – H – W+H – H – W+H – H
Played over
Dbaug   Dbmaj7#5
Shape repeats every
4 frets
Open this in the fretboard tool →

Db augmented scale notes and intervals

Db augmented has 6 notes. Each is named by its distance from the root, which is the same in every key — learn the numbers once and every augmented scale reads the same.

Db
1
root
E
#2
F
3
major 3rd
Ab
5
perfect 5th
A
#5
augmented 5th
C
7
major 7th

Step pattern from the root: W+H – H – W+H – H – W+H – H (W is a whole step, two frets; H is a half step, one fret; W+H is three frets).

Scales it shares notes with:

Db augmented scale positions on guitar — all 6

Db augmented fits in a five-fret box, three notes or two on each string. Its steps alternate three frets and one, so the six positions are two shapes: positions 1, 3 and 5 are one, 2, 4 and 6 the other, and moving either one four frets up or down gives the same six notes again. Together they cover frets 0 to 13.

Position 1 — frets 9–13

Db augmented scale, position 1, frets 9–13891011121314DbEFAbACDbEFAbACDbEF

Position 2 — frets 0–4

Db augmented scale, position 2, frets 0–4012345EFAbACDbEFAbACDbEFAb

Position 3 — frets 1–5

Db augmented scale, position 3, frets 1–50123456FAbACDbEFAbACDbEFAbA

Position 4 — frets 4–8

Db augmented scale, position 4, frets 4–83456789AbACDbEFAbACDbEFAbAC

Position 5 — frets 5–9

Db augmented scale, position 5, frets 5–945678910ACDbEFAbACDbEFAbACDb

Position 6 — frets 8–12

Db augmented scale, position 6, frets 8–1278910111213CDbEFAbACDbEFAbACDbE

Chords to play Db augmented over

Db augmented is the scale for the augmented chord Dbaug (Db F A) and for Dbmaj7#5 (Db F A C), a major 7th with a raised 5th. It is two augmented triads woven together, Dbaug and Abaug (Ab C E), and its steps alternate three frets and one.

Play the Dbaug arpeggio inside the scale → The Practice Loop keeps only the chord’s notes in each position, so you hear what the rest of the scale is decorating.

How to practice the Db augmented scale

  1. Start with position 2 at frets 0–4, slowly, until every note lands on the click. The loop keeps the shape and the tempo for you.
  2. Slide the shape: position 4 is the same fingering 4 frets higher, and the same notes. Play one, then the other, and the move is the scale.
  3. Climb 3 notes at a time, two notes up each time: each group starts a major third above the last, the same step the scale repeats by.
  4. Switch the same position to the Dbaug arpeggio, the chord’s notes alone, then back to the scale.
  5. See every Db augmented note across the whole neck on the Fretboard, and find each box again an octave up.

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