Suspended chords are another useful embellishment in popular music. A “sus” (rhymes with “bus”) chord is formed by taking a basic chord and altering it so that the middle scale degree of the chord (the third scale degree relative to the bass) is played one scale degree higher. In other words, rather than playing the third scale degree relative to the bass, you would play the fourth scale degree instead. We indicate a chord is suspended by adding sus or ⁴ to the label (the 4 is there to remind you that the third scale degree relative to the bass is swapped for the fourth).
Let’s consider a specific example. A basic V chord has scale degrees 5, 7, and 2. To form a Vₛᵤₛ₄ chord, we take scale degree 7, the third scale degree relative to the bass of V (5, 6, b7, 1, 2), and replace it with scale degree 1, the fourth scale degree relative to the bass (5, 6, 7, b1, 2).
Below are the scale degrees that are present in a Iₛᵤₛ₄ and a Vₛᵤₛ₄. Click play to see how ⁴ chords sound.
Basic chords like V have a natural stability because the scale degrees are evenly spaced. As shown in the figure below, in a V chord, 7 is two scale degrees from 5, and 2 is two scale degrees from 7. In a Vₛᵤₛ₄ chord, the “suspended” scale degree 1 creates tension by being too close to 2 and too far from 5. Resolving scale degree 1 back to 7 by following the Vₛᵤₛ₄ with V is a good way to relieve this tension.
This sequence, Vₛᵤₛ₄ → V, occurs most often near the end of a progression that goes back to I and can be thought of as delaying the ending of the progression by one chord to build up more tension. “My Grown Up Christmas List” by Kelly Clarkson is a textbook example of this technique.
Notice how as soon as we hear the Vₛᵤₛ₄ chord, our ears immediately want to hear a V chord.
Using a Vₛᵤₛ₄ chord to set up a V chord is a technique that works with secondary V chords as well (e.g., Vₛᵤₛ₄/vi → V/vi , Vₛᵤₛ₄/V → V/V, etc.). “Tearin’ Up My Heart” by NSYNC, for example, uses suspensions twice in the same progression, first on the V/vi and again on the final V.
Vₛᵤₛ₄ is the chord most frequently embellished as a ⁴, but other chords use the ⁴ suspension as well. Iₛᵤₛ₄ is another popular choice; it’s most commonly used to hang onto the I chord longer to delay a progression. Often you will hear this after a progression has finished for a more drawn out ending. The Hawaiian classic “Ka Nohona Pili Kai” by Keali’i Reichel uses Iₛᵤₛ₄ in this way.
This song also uses Vₛᵤₛ₄ that resolves to V in the usual manner.
Check for Understanding
For each of the following ⁴ chords, write out the scale degrees, identify which scale degree is the suspension, and name the scale degree that resolves the suspension.
Example: Vₛᵤₛ₄
Answer:
Recall that we build a ⁴ chord by replacing the third scale degree relative to the bass by the fourth scale degree relative to the bass. In a V chord with scale degrees 5, 7, and 2, the third scale degree is 7 (5, 6, 7, 1, 2), which is replaced by the fourth scale degree, which is 1 (5, 6, 7, 1, 2). Hence, a Vₛᵤₛ₄ chord has scale degrees 5, 1, and 2. The suspended scale degree is 1 (the one that was modified), and its resolution is the un-modified scale degree, 7.
Iₛᵤₛ₄
viₛᵤₛ₄
Vₛᵤₛ₄/vi (Challenge problem). You can use Appendix A: Scale Degrees of Secondary Chords for assistance.
Open Appendix ACheck for Understanding
Seventh chords can also be made suspensions. Using the same rule as before (i.e., replacing the third scale degree with the fourth scale degree relative to the bass of the chord), what are the scale degrees in the following chords?
V⁷ₛᵤₛ₄
vi⁷ₛᵤₛ₄
V⁷ₛᵤₛ₄/vi (Challenge problem). You can use Appendix A: Scale Degrees of Secondary Chords for assistance.
Open Appendix ACheck for Understanding
In “Domino” by Jessie J, the verse transitions to the chorus using a Iₛᵤₛ₄ going to a IV⁽ᵃᵈᵈ⁹⁾. Normally we would expect the Iₛᵤₛ₄ to resolve to a I chord. Why do you think this alternate resolution is effective? Hint: Think about the stable scale degrees in each chord.
Check for Understanding
The chord progression in “Clarity” by Zedd uses seventh chords to add complexity to the verse. What purpose do you think is served by using suspended sevenths on the first two chords (ii⁷ₛᵤₛ₄, V⁷ₛᵤₛ₄) instead of regular unembellished seventh chords (ii⁷, V⁷)? Hint: Think about the stable scale degrees in each chord.