As with all other chords, the suspended chords are based on the Major Scale.

 

 

The difference is that suspended chords use the 2 or the 4 of the scale.

Suspended chords (sus2 and sus4) have an open, unresolved sound. This means that it is normally NOT the last chord in a phrase.

They normally "resolve" with the non-Suspended chord.

For example: Dsus4, would resolve to the D chord. An Asus2, would normally resolve to an A chord.

 

The sus2 chords, simply replace the 3rd with a 2nd.

 

For example: If we use an open A chord (doesn't matter if it's major or minor) and we want to make it a sus2.

We simply remove the 3rd, which is a C# in an A Major, or a C in A Minor, and add the 2nd, which is a B.

 

 

NOTE: Since there is no 3rd, this chord is neither Major nor Minor.

So it can be used as a substitute for any A Major or A Minor, where the B is in the scale that you're playing.

 

Another example is the Dsus2 chord, which simply swaps out the 3rd the the 2nd, in this case, E.

 

 

Like the sus2, we replace the 3rd of the chord, this time with a 4th.

 

In the case, of the A Chord, we replace the C#, with a D.

 

 

In the case of a D Chord, we swap out the 3rd, which is F#, and replace it with a 4th, G.

 

 

 

Suspended Chords have an open, unresolved sound, that makes the user want to hear something the resolves it.

In most case, but not all, the Suspended Chord resolves to the chord it was built upon.

This means that an Asus4 would resolve to an A Chord, or a Dsus4 would resolve to a D Chord.

 

Here is an example of an Asus4 played twice, followed by Asus4 twice then resolving to an A.

 

 

Here is an example of a rock riff starting with an A, then Asus4 resolving to A, and a D, then Dsus4 resolving to D.

 

 

One song that routinely wins the Rock Song of all time, uses Suspeneded Chords in the transition from the

slower acoustic parts, into the faster electric guitar rock part of the song.

 

 

It goes from a Dsus2, to a D Chord, to a Dsus4 Chord. It then goes on to resolve back to a D chord, then continues on to the cresendo.

 

Here is what the Dsus2 to D to Dsus4 combination sounds like:

 

 

Suspended Chords are a great way to add flavor to the sound of your chord progression.

Many songs of all genres utilize suspended chords in their progressions.