Suspended Chords on Piano

In music, a chord is referred to as any set of harmonic which consists of two to three and sometimes more notes that is then heard with a simultaneous sound. These notes may not be played all together as arpeggios as well as broken piano chords are usually understood as as chords.

Chords and even sequences of chords are more commonly used in most modern western music, while they are usually not used in music from many of the other places of the world.

A chord suspension (sometimes called as a suspended chord) is more often than not made by grasping one of the chord tones in a higher level, and therefore partitioning it to its own resting place.

Furthermore, this can be worked on with any chord tone available; however one of the most common suspensions is to simply take control of the third of the chord through playing the fourth first before partitioning it to the third. A suspended C chord would then have the root tones, as well as the fourth and fifth.

A suspended C chord of this type is more commonly presented in certain piano chord charts as a Csus or sometimes a Csus4. Sus4 simply defines that the third is played as a fourth in the start and partitioned to a third. In true music, suppose that you are playing an easy tune which makes use of three chords only -- C, F, and G, and then going back to C.

Try adding up a few more flavor to the mix: simply switch the final chord into two chords. Turn it into a suspended C chord, while followed by a C chord. Your chord progression will simply present like this: C - F - G - Csus - C.

Play this on either a piano or guitar and you will see how effectively harmonic it can be. Try out other suspended piano chords and place them if you need more emotion in your song or music.

In the Key of C:

Sus4 chords - Performed by raising the 3rd of a particular chord by a half step.

C-E-G is the standard major triad C chord. The E in bold is considered as the 3rd. C-F-G: The F in bold is considered as the 4th suspended. The distance between E to F is a half-step. This particular chord then becomes the 4th suspended chord. In playing a I IV V progression, the IV is then considered as the best chord to play as a suspended 4th.

Sus 2 chords - Performed by lowering the 3rd of a particular chord by a whole step.

C-E-G This is the standard major triad C. The E in bold is considered as the 3rd. C-D-G The D in bold is considered as the 2nd suspended. The distance between E to D is a whole step. This particular chord then becomes the 2nd suspended chord.

For many pianists, a "suspended chord" sounds like a note that you might only play in jazz, however for the other pianists, it's a regular part of a great melodic improvisation. Simply have fun with all the formation of a chord as well as where to make use of suspended chords in your practice times.