It’s All In How You Look At It (Sus4 and Sus2 chords)

Wayne Dyer said: “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

It’s true in music too. Quite literally.

Take, for example, suspended chords.

If you ever see a suspended 4 chord (or “sus4″), it simply means to play the fourth instead of the third in a major chord.

Here’s a regular C major chord:

The “third” in this chord is “E.” (If you haven’t learned your intervals, you can use the search box in the upper right corner to find lessons on the topic).

Instead of playing “E,” you’d simply play “F” (which is the fourth).

This is a Csus4. Or Csus for short (if you ever see “sus,” automatically assume sus4).

There’s also such a thing as a suspended 2 chord (aka – “sus2″). The concept is similar except you’re replacing the third with a second interval.

So instead of playing the “E” in the C major chord:

…you’d play “D”:

Now, here’s where things get interesting with these two chords.

How would you play a Gsus4?

Step 1: Take a G major chord

Step 2: Replace the third degree (B) in the chord with the fourth (C)

Does this chord look familiar?

Let me give you a hint.

(Take the G off the bottom and put it on the top)

It’s a Csus2 but has the same exact notes as Gsus4.

That means, if you know your sus4 chords, you sort of automatically know your sus2 chords. They’re inversions of each other.

Csus4 (C F G) = Fsus2 (F G C)

Fsus4 (F Bb C) = Bbsus2 (Bb C F)

There are many coincidences and tricks like this in music.

It’s all in how you look at it!

P.S. – What’s God’s Favorite Chord?

Answer: Gsus!

Related posts:

1. A Quick & Easy Way To Play Suspended Chords
2. 11 Ways to Enhance Your Chords and Playing (Part 1)
3. Ask Jermaine: “What Are Major 2 Chords?”
4. Who Else Wants To Learn The Famous Amen Cadence?

Tagged as: sus2, sus4, suspended chords