Welcome to the most recent installment of Chord by Chord, a series designed to develop your understanding of harmony and the fretboard. In this lesson we’ll be exploring some brand-new chord types, involving suspensions, which are less complex than the name suggests.
You must currently know that a significant triad is comprised of the three notes: the root, the third, and the fifth. There are different types of suspended or sus chords, however in this lesson we’ll focus on those including the 4th. Example 1 offers us a C significant triad (C E G), while Example 2 offers the notes of a Csus4 chord (C F G), in which the 4th (F) replaces the C chord’s 3rd (E).
Example 3a demonstrates how to go from a C triad to a Csus4 utilizing open chords. Notice just how much distinction in sound that a person note makes. To make the very same move using barre chords, attempt Example 3b; enjoy the video for some alternate fingerings.
You can likewise make a seventh chord suspended. If you keep in mind, a dominant seventh chord is built from a significant triad with the flatted seventh. To make a 7sus4 chord, when again, just swap out the third for the fourth. Example 4 provides us the notes in a C7 chord (C E G Bb), and Example 5 transforms it to C7sus4 (C F G Bb). Attempt deriving C7sus4 from C using open chords (Example 6a) prior to proceeding to barre chords (Example 6b).
Next, repeat the exact same procedure for G and D triads and seventh chords (Examples 7a– 10b). Note that in the G sus chords, the note C (4th) replaces B (third), and in the D sus chords, G (4th) replaces F# (3rd). For the Gsus4 chord, you could also attempt eliminating the leading 2 notes and barring strings 3– 5 at the 5th fret with your 3rd finger. Likewise, if the D, Dsus4, and D7sus4 barre chords seem familiar, that’s because they’re the exact same shapes as C, Csus4, and C7sus4, only 2 stresses greater.
You must now know how to form a handful of sus4 and 7sus4 chords. An excellent song that makes use of sus chords is “Listen to the Music” by the Doobie Brothers. Next time we’ll discuss a various type of suspended chord– sus 2.
