A keynote or central pitch is established by persistance rather than by use of context forming intervals. There are no perfect fourths or fifths to help create harmonic focus. The major third, the next strongest root producing interval, lies above every step making every step a potential keynote. Furthermore, the augmented triad divides the octave into three equal segments. Any of its tones can be perceived as the root of the chord. One usually hears the lowest tone in the texture as the root of the chord because it is the root of the lowest major third.

Example 6: Roots in Augmented Triads





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