Why is it so hard to distinguish Aug from Dim?

[soulata]

The second chord in Lennon's Isolation (from Plastic Ono Band album) is augmented.

A lot of doo-wop songs use it (Oh Darling is a nod to a style I'd say) usually as the chord leading back to verse...

"You are the sunshine of my life"'s first chord is augmented as well.

k

p.s: not the first one, the one just before Stevie starts singing, that's what I had in mind...the one with a whole-tone scale run.

[soulata]

For diminished, sing What a difference a day made, it's usually under "and a sun and the flowers" part, with flowers resolving to minor chord.

[jancivil]

Hello folks,

I've been learning to recognize triads,

but I find it so hard to distinguish Aug chords from Dim chords.

Why is this?

Is there a scientific/theoretic basis behind this phenomenon?

Thanks,

I could construct an argument for this, but it'd be just kinda bullshit really. In terms of intervals, one has much wider ones than the other; so, the thing you *should* do now is recognize the intervals IN CONTEXT of a melody and these chords which work with a melody, someone said listen for where they want to go, that's something.

A 'b diminished triad' in many contexts is much the same as a 'G major, minor 7th' or 'G dominant 7', ie., the interval B to F likes to go to 'C E'. The tension of that 'diminished fifth' likes that kind of release.

OTOH: A 'B augmented triad'... where does that (B D# Fx) like to go to give you release from <what tension>? Is it the same kind of tension? At this point your ear thinks it is... Find out why:

Spend some time with these combos of intervals as sonorities. Experiment with melodic ideas over an augmented triad, for instance. Find it in some songs. Jam to it in a two chord vamp. Do the same with dim.
Tensions and release from; explore.

Hint: does the augmented have the same 'need' to resolve as a diminished? Make up examples and make arguments for what works for you and why/why not.