Lesson: Understanding sus chords

SixStringSage · August 2023

For those of you who are learning how chords are put together, I thought my latest article would be useful.

If you’re already familiar with how chords are constructed, you’ll know that the basic principle is they’re made from the first, third, and fifth notes from the major scale. To make a minor chord, we simply flatten the third.

Today, we’re going to look at an exception to this rule: the sus chord.

What is a sus chord?

“Sus” refers to “suspended” and it means that instead of playing a third, we replace it with either a two or four. By omitting the third, these chords are a powerful way to build tension and create movement in a song.

Let’s try this with D. We start by looking at the D Major scale:

D, E, F#, G, A, B, and C#

To create a D major chord, we select notes 1, 3, and 5: D F# A (All chord images are from scales-chords.com and they helpfully show which scale intervals are being used, on the right side).

image

To turn this into a D minor chord, we simply play the first fret on the top string instead of the second fret, so now the scale intervals are 1 5 1 m3 (minor 3):

image

To play a D sus2 chord, you remove your finger from the top string entirely, playing it open. Now the scale intervals are 1 5 1 2:

image

And finally, to play a D sus4 chord, you place your pinky finger in the third fret of the top string, with the scale degrees being 1 5 1 4:

image

How to play sus chords

Let’s look at another example, an A chord.

I’ll assume you already know how to play an A major chord - fretting the second fret of strings DGB. To make it minor, you play the first fret on the B string. Therefore, you know the 3 is on the B string, so that’s where the 2 and 4 also are.

To play A sus2, you play the open B string. To play A sus4, you play the third fret.

Here’s a video showing exactly how all four chords look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXOMLTPR-cs

As you can see, if you already know how to play the major and minor version of a chord, you can very quickly turn it into a sus2 or sus4 chord. And as an extra bonus, if you’re still learning intervals and the fretboard, sus chords can be a helpful aid because they help you to identify where the third sits in each chord or triad that you’re playing.

This first appeared on my free Substack

drofluf · August 2023

Thanks very useful, but would be clearer if you embedded the chord diagrams as images rather than as links. Saves a lot of xtra clicking

SixStringSage · August 2023

drofluf said:

Thanks very useful, but would be clearer if you embedded the chord diagrams as images rather than as links. Saves a lot of xtra clicking

Thanks. I did try to do that but when I added the image URL it didn't appear, so I did links as a workaround. They are embedded into the article in the original though, which you can read here

digitalkettle · August 2023

SixStringSage · August 2023

digitalkettle said:

thanks!

viz · August 2023

I like doing what I call an aug-sus chord, don't know its proper name. It has a sustained augmented 4th. (as well as a sus2)

It's when you're playing something in Em with the progression C -> D -> Em

It's very common on the D chord to put a sus4 and then relax it back to a proper D. It's also common on the Em chord to do a sus2 before replacing with the minor 3rd.

What's not so common is to suspend the C chord, whilst avoiding the dreaded Sus4 which sounds OK but gets very tedious; it's much more consonant (and diatonic) to do this aug-sus thingy. And it's really easy to do, just barre that 7th fret with your pinkie, then take it off again for the normal C. Gorgeous!

Image: https://tfb-user-images.eu-central-1.linodeobjects.com/7e66dfb219bf9e923b36d8debcdcaa5c30b38c31cdf9a044ad

SixStringSage · August 2023

viz said:

I like doing what I call an aug-sus chord, don't know its proper name. It has a sustained augmented 4th. (as well as a sus2)

It's when you're playing something in Em with the progression C -> D -> Em

It's very common on the D chord to put a sus4 and then relax it back to a proper D. It's also common on the Em chord to do a sus2 before replacing with the minor 3rd.

What's not so common is to suspend the C chord, whilst avoiding the dreaded Sus4 which sounds OK but gets very tedious; it's much more consonant (and diatonic) to do this aug-sus thingy. And it's really easy to do, just barre that 9th fret with your pinkie, then take it off again for the normal C. Gorgeous!

that's a big stretch on the C, but it sounds great! Thanks for sharing this

viz · August 2023

Would have helped if I’d typed “barre the 7th fret” instead of the 9th! Corrected

digitalkettle · August 2023

viz said:

I like doing what I call an aug-sus chord, don't know its proper name. It has a sustained augmented 4th. (as well as a sus2)

It's when you're playing something in Em with the progression C -> D -> Em

It's very common on the D chord to put a sus4 and then relax it back to a proper D. It's also common on the Em chord to do a sus2 before replacing with the minor 3rd.

What's not so common is to suspend the C chord, whilst avoiding the dreaded Sus4 which sounds OK but gets very tedious; it's much more consonant (and diatonic) to do this aug-sus thingy. And it's really easy to do, just barre that 7th 9th fret with your pinkie, then take it off again for the normal C. Gorgeous!
...

Just a tiny correction above ^ if anyone is following along!

I like it...it immediately inspired a little embellishment:
x-3-5-7-7-x -> x-3-5-5-5-x
x-5-7-9-8-x -> x-5-7-7-7-x
x-7-9-12-12-x -> x-7-9-11-10-x -> x-7-9-9-8-x -> x-7-9-7-7-x
What's that? Voice leading diatonic thirds on the G and B strings?

Edit: fixed the Dsus voicing

digitalkettle · August 2023

viz said:

Would have helped if I’d typed “barre the 7th fret” instead of the 9th! Corrected

@Viz Ah...you already caught it...I spent too much time noodling on the above

viz · August 2023

Cheers! And if you managed the 9th, the hospital should be able to splint that finger back on again.

SixStringSage · August 2023

digitalkettle said:

viz said:

I like doing what I call an aug-sus chord, don't know its proper name. It has a sustained augmented 4th. (as well as a sus2)

It's when you're playing something in Em with the progression C -> D -> Em

It's very common on the D chord to put a sus4 and then relax it back to a proper D. It's also common on the Em chord to do a sus2 before replacing with the minor 3rd.

What's not so common is to suspend the C chord, whilst avoiding the dreaded Sus4 which sounds OK but gets very tedious; it's much more consonant (and diatonic) to do this aug-sus thingy. And it's really easy to do, just barre that 7th 9th fret with your pinkie, then take it off again for the normal C. Gorgeous!
...

Just a tiny correction above ^ if anyone is following along!

I like it...it immediately inspired a little embellishment:
x-3-5-7-7-x -> x-3-5-5-5-x
x-5-7-8-9-x -> x-5-7-7-7-x
x-7-9-12-12-x -> x-7-9-11-10-x -> x-7-9-9-8-x -> x-7-9-7-7-x
What's that? Voice leading diatonic thirds on the G and B strings?

this is really great. I like the walk down on the E chord in particular. What was your thought process here?

digitalkettle · August 2023

SixStringSage said:

digitalkettle said:
...
I like it...it immediately inspired a little embellishment:
x-3-5-7-7-x -> x-3-5-5-5-x
x-5-7-9-8-x -> x-5-7-7-7-x
x-7-9-12-12-x -> x-7-9-11-10-x -> x-7-9-9-8-x -> x-7-9-7-7-x
What's that? Voice leading diatonic thirds on the G and B strings?

this is really great. I like the walk down on the E chord in particular. What was your thought process here?

Thanks...it was just an ear/shape-lead thing starting with Viz's idea...I then fattened the sus4 on the D with a 3rd underneath...then stretched the 'thirds along the G/B strings idea' over the Em chord.

B ||-0-1-3-5-7-8-10-12
G ||-0-2-4-5-7-9-11-12

Note: I realised I messed up the tab for the Dsus chord...now corrected above and in original post ;-/

digitalkettle · August 2023

Here's another variant:


e|----0--|-------|-------|
b|-7-(7)-|-8--7--|-7--8--|
g|-7-(7)-|-5--7--|-7--9--|
d|-------|-------|-------|
a|-3-(3)-|-5-(5)-|-7-(7)-|
e|-------|-------|-------|

Nice open E ringing over the C shape followed by a more obvious dominant sound for the D (and a tiny bit of 'contrary motion').

SixStringSage · August 2023

digitalkettle said:
SixStringSage said:

digitalkettle said:
...
I like it...it immediately inspired a little embellishment:
x-3-5-7-7-x -> x-3-5-5-5-x
x-5-7-9-8-x -> x-5-7-7-7-x
x-7-9-12-12-x -> x-7-9-11-10-x -> x-7-9-9-8-x -> x-7-9-7-7-x
What's that? Voice leading diatonic thirds on the G and B strings?

this is really great. I like the walk down on the E chord in particular. What was your thought process here?

Thanks...it was just an ear/shape-lead thing starting with Viz's idea...I then fattened the sus4 on the D with a 3rd underneath...then stretched the 'thirds along the G/B strings idea' over the Em chord.
B ||-0-1-3-5-7-8-10-12
G ||-0-2-4-5-7-9-11-12
Note: I realised I messed up the tab for the Dsus chord...now corrected above and in original post ;-/

Forgive me, what's changed between what you had originally?

For the second of the E patterns - x-7-9-11-10-x - what is this chord, it seems to have the 2 4 and 5 of E? And the final one has the 2 and minor 7?

digitalkettle · August 2023

I just had 5789 instead of 5798 for the first D chord.

The x-7-9-11-10-x chord is Eadd9sus4…but I was only thinking of a bare bones E5 with some melody/harmony on top.

SixStringSage · August 2023

digitalkettle said:

I just had 5789 instead of 5798 for the first D chord.

The x-7-9-11-10-x chord is Eadd9sus4…but I was only thinking of a bare bones E5 with some melody/harmony on top.

Add9, of course! I've been so wrapped up in sus chords today that's all I could see

guitarjack66 · August 2023

digitalkettle said:
Here's another variant:
e|----0--|-------|-------|
b|-7-(7)-|-8--7--|-7--8--|
g|-7-(7)-|-5--7--|-7--9--|
d|-------|-------|-------|
a|-3-(3)-|-5-(5)-|-7-(7)-|
e|-------|-------|-------|
Nice open E ringing over the C shape followed by a more obvious dominant sound for the D (and a tiny bit of 'contrary motion').

That C shape is a hell of a stretch unless being arpeggiated. I've just tried it but I couldnt play it in a progression as a chord.

digitalkettle · August 2023

guitarjack66 said:
digitalkettle said:
Here's another variant:
e|----0--|-------|-------|
b|-7-(7)-|-8--7--|-7--8--|
g|-7-(7)-|-5--7--|-7--9--|
d|-------|-------|-------|
a|-3-(3)-|-5-(5)-|-7-(7)-|
e|-------|-------|-------|
Nice open E ringing over the C shape followed by a more obvious dominant sound for the D (and a tiny bit of 'contrary motion').
That C shape is a hell of a stretch unless being arpeggiated. I've just tried it but I couldnt play it in a progression as a chord.

Try the bass note on the 8th fret of the E string instead

thisisguitar · August 2023

viz said:

Cheers! And if you managed the 9th, the hospital should be able to splint that finger back on again.

The opening chord you are using is also the opening chord to Flying In A Blue Dream - Joe Satriani. In the sheet music it's listed as C5 (9 #11) and immediately implies C Lydian. Lack of a 3rd and 7th makes naming it somewhat fun. I'd consider Csus2 #11 as another potential name.

digitalkettle · August 2023

thisisguitar said:

viz said:

Cheers! And if you managed the 9th, the hospital should be able to splint that finger back on again.

The opening chord you are using is also the opening chord to Flying In A Blue Dream - Joe Satriani. In the sheet music it's listed as C5 (9 #11) and immediately implies C Lydian. Lack of a 3rd and 7th makes naming it somewhat fun. I'd consider Csus2 #11 as another potential name.

With reference to @viz's progression, you could argue that the 3rd and 7th are implicit once your ears have accepted that the key is Em.

Flying In A Blue Dream is a proper lydian workout though. I just dug out some old sheet music to check the progression: I see they left the key as C major throughout and got liberal with the accidentals. They also describe subsequent chords (the Ab, G, and F) as sus2(#11). Magical tune

thisisguitar · August 2023

digitalkettle said:

thisisguitar said:

viz said:

Cheers! And if you managed the 9th, the hospital should be able to splint that finger back on again.

The opening chord you are using is also the opening chord to Flying In A Blue Dream - Joe Satriani. In the sheet music it's listed as C5 (9 #11) and immediately implies C Lydian. Lack of a 3rd and 7th makes naming it somewhat fun. I'd consider Csus2 #11 as another potential name.

With reference to @viz's progression, you could argue that the 3rd and 7th are implicit once your ears have accepted that the key is Em.

Flying In A Blue Dream is a proper lydian workout though. I just dug out some old sheet music to check the progression: I see they left the key as C major throughout and got liberal with the accidentals. They also describe subsequent chords (the Ab, G, and F) as sus2(#11). Magical tune

Yeah I know what you mean with implied chords. I think if the progression starts with the Em chord it would have the Minor flavour, but starting on the Csus2 #11 I would be hearing it as C Lydian.

I love opening of that song, it's dream-like in its vibe. Some incredible playing too. I know Joe uses something he calls 'pitch axis' theory, and listening to how the chords move in the song it's possibly applied here too.

viz · August 2023

thisisguitar said:

viz said:

Cheers! And if you managed the 9th, the hospital should be able to splint that finger back on again.

The opening chord you are using is also the opening chord to Flying In A Blue Dream - Joe Satriani. In the sheet music it's listed as C5 (9 #11) and immediately implies C Lydian. Lack of a 3rd and 7th makes naming it somewhat fun. I'd consider Csus2 #11 as another potential name.

Yes precisely! Though I think he maybe raises the D string too, so x3777x to x3555x (rather than x3577x to x3555x) - but yep it's the same thing, both are nice and I do that a lot too. Yes, Csus#11 sounds good. Or for the full-fat version you could say it's a compound chord, or D/C or something I guess.

Image: https://tfb-user-images.eu-central-1.linodeobjects.com/ec04b44e64bd5729e2cfba8c627f002f61925b2e47331efe37

thisisguitar · August 2023

viz said:

thisisguitar said:

viz said:

Cheers! And if you managed the 9th, the hospital should be able to splint that finger back on again.

The opening chord you are using is also the opening chord to Flying In A Blue Dream - Joe Satriani. In the sheet music it's listed as C5 (9 #11) and immediately implies C Lydian. Lack of a 3rd and 7th makes naming it somewhat fun. I'd consider Csus2 #11 as another potential name.

Yes precisely! Though I think he maybe raises the D string too, so x3777x to x3555x (rather than x3577x to x3555x) - but yep it's the same thing, both are nice and I do that a lot too. Yes, Csus#11 sounds good. Or for the full-fat version you could say it's a compound chord, or D/C or something I guess.

Yeah D/C would be my choice if he's including the note you mentioned. When I'm teaching modes I use this chord to give an instant Lydian tonality.

viz · August 2023

yup. major 2 chord.

digitalkettle · August 2023

thisisguitar said:
Yeah I know what you mean with implied chords. I think if the progression starts with the Em chord it would have the Minor flavour, but starting on the Csus2 #11 I would be hearing it as C Lydian.

I guess that's subjective and also depends heavily on the details of the progression,
e.g. | D/C C | Dsus4 D | Esus2 Em | Em | [@120bpm]
I would always be feeling the pull towards the 'home' of Em...and that's pretty much all I'd be thinking about if I were soloing over it (well...that, and I like to simplify). Do I have enough room to express anything more interesting...I dunno

thisisguitar said:
I love opening of that song, it's dream-like in its vibe. Some incredible playing too. I know Joe uses something he calls 'pitch axis' theory, and listening to how the chords move in the song it's possibly applied here too.

I don't think Flying uses 'pitch axis'...that's more a device for borrowing from different keys over a common pitch.
Easy example: Not Of This Earth intro
Infamous example: Satch Boogie bridge

SixStringSage · August 2023

I'm loving this thread. It's funny, when I've posted "lessons" at other boards, the comments are invariably other people saying all the ways they think the topic should be approached and why I'm doing it wrong.

Here, you guys have blossomed it into a really valuable, interesting thread with a real chord progression to practice.

Very glad I posted here!

viz · August 2023

digitalkettle said:

thisisguitar said:
Yeah I know what you mean with implied chords. I think if the progression starts with the Em chord it would have the Minor flavour, but starting on the Csus2 #11 I would be hearing it as C Lydian.

I guess that's subjective and also depends heavily on the details of the progression,
e.g. | D/C C | Dsus4 D | Esus2 Em | Em | [@120bpm]
I would always be feeling the pull towards the 'home' of Em...and that's pretty much all I'd be thinking about if I were soloing over it (well...that, and I like to simplify). Do I have enough room to express anything more interesting...I dunno

Yep, I mean it's 100% dependent on where the 1 chord is. If you're "in E minor", then the C chord is the 6, and the D is the 7. Not much you can do about that really!

If you're "in C", then the C is the 1 and the D is the 2. And if it's a D major (or this Csus2#11 thingummy-bob), then hey presto, turns out you're actually "in C Lydian".

That's just how it works. Which is what you said anyway!

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Lesson: Understanding sus chords

What is a sus chord?

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