Sus4 Chord
A sus4 chord replaces the third with the fourth. Csus4 contains C, F and G. F often resolves down to E, creating C major, but modern music can also hold the three-note sus4 structure without resolving it.
- 1-4-5
- no third
- common 4-to-3 motion
related pages
Which notes are in Csus4?
Use the formula 1-4-5:
- C: root
- F: perfect fourth
- G: perfect fifth
The symbol is Csus4. A bare Csus commonly means Csus4, although writing the number removes ambiguity.
How do you build it?
Start with C major, C-E-G, and replace E with F.
The fourth lies one semitone above the major third. Moving F down to E produces the common resolution.
Starting from C minor and replacing E flat also yields C-F-G, so the sus chord itself does not state major or minor quality.
What did suspension originally mean?
A traditional suspension has preparation, suspension and resolution.
A note sounds consonantly in one chord, remains while the harmony changes and becomes dissonant, then resolves by step.
A 4-3 suspension places the fourth above a bass and resolves it down to the third. Modern sus4 symbols specify the resulting notes without requiring all three historical stages.
Does Csus4 have to resolve?
No. Pop, rock, modal and film music often treat sus4 as a sustained chord color.
Resolution becomes more expected when F is accented over C and the surrounding harmony establishes E as the target.
Repetition, duration and style can make Csus4 sound complete within its context.
Is a sus4 chord major or minor?
No. Csus4 contains neither E nor E flat.
The following chord can reveal a major or minor context. Csus4-C resolves to major; Csus4-Cm resolves to minor through F-E flat.
Do not label the sus chord itself major or minor unless another sounding voice adds a third.
What is the difference between sus4 and sus2?
Csus4 is C-F-G. Csus2 is C-D-G.
Both replace the third and retain root and fifth.
Sus4 places its replacement above the major third; sus2 places it below. Compare their voice-leading possibilities rather than assigning fixed emotions.
What is the difference between Csus4 and Cadd11?
Csus4 omits the third.
Cadd11 contains C-E-G-F and retains E. The close E-F semitone can be prominent, so the notes may be separated by register.
If E sounds anywhere in the chord, add11 or another extension label may be more accurate than sus4.
How does 7sus4 extend it?
C7sus4 adds B flat: C-F-G-B flat.
The fourth can resolve to E, creating C7. That restores the guide-tone tritone E-B flat and can lead to F.
Csus4 without B flat lacks the seventh and does not imply the same dominant structure.
Where is sus4 used?
Sus4 appears in gospel, soul, pop, rock, folk, worship and film music.
It can delay a cadence, decorate a repeated major chord or preserve common tones across guitar shapes.
The actual voice motion tells you whether it functions as suspension, stable chord or passing sonority.
How should you practice it?
Hold C and G while moving F to E and E flat.
Compare Csus4, Csus2 and C major by changing only the middle pitch.
Add B flat for C7sus4, resolve F to E and continue to F major.