Page 22Suspended Fourth Chords
Having dealt with the sevenths, we move to several chord types that inhabit a strange musical ''neutral zone". We'll
begin with the suspended fourth, which is formed by replacing the third with the fourth of the scale. C major C E G
becomes C F G. Since the only difference between C major and C minor is the third (E or Eb), if it is removed you
cannot tell whether the chord is major or minor. The suspended fourth is therefore neither major nor minor, but
neutral. Csus4 can occur in the keys of C major or C minor.
Suspended fourth chord shapes
This is a very tense chord. The fourth wants to resolve by dropping back either a semitone (half-step) to a major
chord or a tone (full step) to a minor chord. Therefore you should use it when you wish to build momentary tension.
Pop songs tend to use sus4s at transition points to build excitement – for example, from the end of a verse into a
chorus, or at the end of a chorus into a repeat of the chorus. They are popular in rock music because of their tension.
'Two Hearts Are Better Than One', 'She's The One', 'Jean Genie', 'Pinball Wizard' and 'Can't Keep It In' all feature
prominent sus4s.
Effective open-string sus4 are available for Asus4, Dsus4, Esus4 and Gsus4.
Suspended Second Chords
Brother of the sus4, the sus2 is formed by replacing the third with the second of the scale. C major C E G becomes C
D G. Like the suspended fourth, the suspended second is neither major nor minor. It is not quite as tense as the sus4,
having more ambiguity and space. It is good for atmospheric songs, especially if you want to convey emptiness, and
the sus2 works well with (or as a substitute for) minor chords.