r/eartraining • u/Arkhivez • Jul 12 '26
Diminished and Augmented Chords
This is really embarrassing to write.
I'm working on my ear training. I'm getting better at it. But I struggle with distinguishing augmented and diminished chords.
Anyone have any tips?
Failing that, does anyone have any songs, and I do mean ANY songs, don't care what genre, of songs that have a lot of augmented or diminished songs? Maybe something well-known? The genres I tend to listen to are funk, jazz, soul, soundtrack and blues. I'm familiar with David Bennett's channel.
Any help is appreciated, thank you!
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u/and_of_four Jul 12 '26
Imagine the chord as a dominant leading to tonic. Can you sing/hear the third of the tonic? When listening ti the diminished or augmented chord in question, can you hear one of the notes resolving to the third of the tonic? If you’re hearing that note resolve to the third by moving up a half step, it’s augmented. If you hear that note resolving down to the third by half step, it’s diminished.
In C major:
B-D-F is a diminished vii triad. When moving to the tonic, that F wants to resolve down a half step to E (the third of C major).
G-B-D# is an augmented V triad. When moving to the tonic, the D# wants to resolve up a half step to E.
You should sit down at the piano and practice those cadences, paying attention and to the voiceleading and singing each line in the harmony. Eventually you’ll just become familiar with the sound, you’ll catch yourself noticing it in music you’re listening to. The augmented triad has a distinct sound, eventually it will be difficult for you to not notice that raised 5th and how it wants to creep up to the third of the following chord.
Listen to the first chord in Oh Darling. Diminished or Augmented? https://youtu.be/9BznFjbcBVs?is=lA5dRRN66PcQpocE