Suspended Second Suspended Fourth Chord

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Last updated on: 2009-08-19 6:09 PM

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A suspended second suspended fourth chord is composed using a root/1^st, major 2^nd, perfect 4^th and a perfect 5^th (or R/1-2-4-5) intervals played simultaneously. Generally written as C^sus2sus4 or C^(sus2sus4), it is good practice to simply use an uppercase C with a superscripted ^sus2sus4 to represent it in writing (ie: C^sus2sus4).

The suspended second suspended fourth chord does not have a distinctive quality (ie: major or minor) when played by itself as there is no 3^rd degree present, it's quality is implied by it's resolution (if any). For example, if you were to play a D^sus2sus4, then a D major, it's implied quality would be major because the perfect 4^th and major 2^nd are resolving to the major 3^rd. Alternatively, if you were to play a D^sus2sus4, then a D minor, it's implied quality would be minor because the perfect 4^th and major 2^nd are resolving to the minor 3^rd.

It is not necessary to resolve the suspended second suspended fourth chord, it is mearly a tonal tool we can use if required.

Suspended Second Suspended Fourth Chord Profile

Intervals	root/1^st, major 2^nd, perfect 4^th, perfect 5^th or R/1-2-4-5
Stability	Consonant / Unresolved
Grouping Class	Tetrad
Common Names (examples in C)	C^sus2sus4, C^(sus2sus4)

Suspended Second Suspended Fourth Chord Voicings

The chord voicing's below are not shown with any particular root note, they are shapes which can be moved around the guitar neck freely using the root note (circled dot) as your navigator. See example below.

How to use
As an example, let's say you require a D major chord
After playing all the chord voicing's, you decide on voicing #2
Voicing #2 has it's root on the 5^th string so you need to find the D note on this string
You click the notes on the neck reference chart tab and find the D note is on the 5^th fret (5^th string)
You now play D major using voicing #2 on the 5^th fret
Use the Octave chart tab to help you remember which notes are where
Use the Chord chart help tab if your a beginner at reading chord boxes

Suspended second suspended fourth chord voicings

Notes on the guitar neck chart (lite version)

Using octaves to learn notes on the guitar neck

First determine which chord you require, let's use a B major chord in this example.
We know the root note is B, (if it were an A major chord the root note would be A and for Cma⁷ it would be C, etc etc)
Using the notes on the guitar neck chart, find the B note on the 6^th string, 7^th fret.
Now using the major chord voicing's chart, look for voicing #4 which has it's root note on the 6^th string and play it.
Now lets find a B major chord on the 5^th string using voicing #2
You already know the B note on the 6^th string 7^th fret, now track back to the B on the 1^st string 7^th fret, then to the B on the 3^rd string 4^th fret, and finally to the B on the 5^th string 2^nd fret and play voicing #2 major chord.
Remember, learning and memorizing notes, chord voicing's and scales in this way will improve your playing skills, theoretical knowledge and desirability as a band member.

Suspended Second Suspended Fourth Chord Audio Sample(s)

To download audio sample(s) for later listening, right click on the MP3 link, then from the context menu that appears select Save Target As (Internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Firefox).

Audio Sample Name	Flash	MP3
C Suspended Second Suspended Fourth Chord voicing #2		c-suspended-second-suspended-fourth-chord-voicing-2.mp3

Related Lessons & Resources

Guitar Lessons
- How to read chord diagrams
- Open chords part 1
Music Theory
- Harmonizing a major scale (triads)

External Resources

Suspended chord at Wikipedia.org