Uses for augmented chords in composition?

Question

I've been studying for music theory for many years and I enjoy just writing little chord progressions and melodies to see what certain progressions sound like and how interesting I can make them. The only chord I don't really use is the augmented chord besides in passing. I was wondering if certain chord progressions would lend themselves to utilize the augmented chord. Edit: By an augmented chord I meant some form of an augmented triad.

Answer 1

Hi there. I don't use augmented chords much either. As you say, they are used mostly as passing events, the raised fifth resolving up by half step. The context in which they belong as citizens with full voting rights is of course music written in the whole tone scale. There every triad is augmented. A good example might be Debussy's "Voiles" from his piano preludes, Book 1. In measure 15 the left hand plays an ascending series of augmented triads. This and other instances occur elsewhere in this piece.