Db 7#5 (Augmented 7) Chord

What is the Db 7#5 (Augmented 7) Chord?

Here's a fretboard view of the Db 7#5 (Augmented 7) chord so you can see where each chord tone lives across the neck. This chord is enharmonically equivalent to C# 7#5 (Augmented 7).

Notes and Arpeggios

The 7#5 (augmented 7th) chord raises the 5th of a dominant 7th, creating a bright, altered tension that pushes hard toward resolution. It's common in jazz and gospel turnarounds where you want the V chord to feel extra urgent. The chord tones are: Db, F, A, Cb. It's built from degrees 1, 3, #5, and b7.

How to Use It

You'll mostly hear altered dominants in jazz turnarounds and tense lead-in chords before a resolution. On bass, you usually outline this chord instead of strumming it: emphasize the root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th as the harmony requires, then use passing tones to connect back to the groove.

Move between this chord and its nearest neighbor without leaving the same four- or five-fret box. Use the highlights to spot where the same tone repeats across strings.