My chord counting system is a quick and easy way to define and play one of the most basic of all piano chords: the Augmented Triad. I show you how in the quick video below.

Three steps:

  1. Hold down any note. This will be the “root” note of the triad.
  2. While holding down the root note, count up 4 half-steps.
  3. While holding down both notes, count up 4 half-steps from the 2nd note.
  4. Play all three notes simultaneously and you have an Augmented Triad (named after the root note, i.e., if the first note you held down is a D note, then the resulting minor triad is called “D Augmented Triad”.

Remember this phrase: “Root–4–4,” the counting scheme for creating a minor triad.