Too Much Information on Suspended Chords

I went over to Peter’s place last night to help him work on a friend’s website. While I was there, I was asked by a fellow musician why suspended chords are called “suspended.” I had had a bit too much brandy at the time and didn’t deliver a coherent response. I thought I’d answer that question today.

Suspension

The term "suspension" describes a technique used in counterpoint where a note is carried over from a chord to the next chord. So if I move from an F chord (F,A,C) to a C chord (C,E,G) but still play the F note, I have suspended the F.

A suspended chord is a chord where the third of the chord is replaced by either the fourth (most common) or the second. Csus4 (C,F,G) and Csus2 (C,D,G) are examples. These chords were named suspended chords because they were usually arrived at by using the contrapuntal technique of suspension.

Thus, a Csus4 chord can be arrived at by suspending the F in the movement from IV-I or V7-I while the Csus2 can be arrived at by suspending the D in the movement of V-I, ii-I, or iii7-I.

Antici………. pation!

The opposite of suspension in counterpoint is anticipation. In anticipation you introduce a tone of the chord to follow prior to actually moving to that chord, thus anticipating the chord to come. You can used suspended chords to anticipate – so for example, I – Isus4 – IV (C – Csus4 – F) introduces the F prior to playing the F chord.

I suppose in such circumstances, one might call it an anticipation chord… (C – Cant4 – F), except no-one ever does and “can’t” is such a discouraging word.

Final Thoughts

“sus4” is the most common suspended chord and is often simply written “sus.” Thus, Csus4 and Csus are considered to be the same chord.

Suspended chords are also called “sustained” chords but “sustained” is technically incorrect.

Typically a suspended fourth or second replaces the third of the chord. When this occurs the chord is neither major nor minor.

The suspension can also be played as an added tone chord in which the third is kept and the second or fourth added. This results in a much more dense sound.

Probably one of the most famous uses of the sus4 chord is in the opening of the tune "Pinball Wizard" by the Who.

Bsus - B - Asus - A - Gsus - G - F#sus - F#

The use of suspensions can also be heard in the piano playing of Bruce Hornsby. “Every Little Kiss” is a good example - lots of the chords have added or substituted a fourth or second.