D6sus2

Check these:
http://jguitar.com/chordsearch/D6sus2

This is a common (and growing) problem - guitarists tend to make up their own chord names. There's often a certain logic to the names they create - but that doesn't make them right.

A "6" chord is a major chord with a sixth added to it. So there's no "G add 6" - there's only G6. The notes will be G, B, D, and E. The easiest way to play it: 320000 (G-B-D-G-B-E)

"sus" in a chord means there's no third - 'standard' chords have a root, third, and fifth. Sus chords should replace the third with the fourth... but many publishers started showing "sus4" as the chord suffix, and guitarists interpreted that to mean "replace the third with whatever comes after sus". So what's intended by "D6sus2" is the notes D (the root), E (the 2nd), A (the 5th), and B (the 6th). The easiest way to play that would be 000200 (E-A-D-A-B-E). The proper name for that chord would actually depend on the context, but Asus/9 is probably how I'd write it.

In either of those you can drop any doubled notes. So G6 could be played xx0000 and the D6sus2 could be xx0200.

In classical theory, suspensions resolve downward. The dissonant fourth resolves down to a third, the ninth down to the octave, the seventh down to the sixth. So, "sus2" to me doesn't imply a missing third. For "D6sus2," my air-guitar fingers went here --

x x O 11 12 12

-- a quartal version, with the third (and the D in the bass). No expectation that the ninth -- OK, the second -- is gonna resolve downward, or anywhere for that matter, unless context demands it. Classical theory seems to have little to do with guitar theory most of the time.

Doing that fingering, though, you don't suspend the tonality of the chord.

You should still resolve to the 3rd and the base chord, whichever suspension you start with.

A :-)

In classical theory, suspensions resolve downward.

Yep, absolutely. It's retardations that resolve downward. I've preached that line so many times here, I've pretty much given up on it. In fact, I'd started to write out my usual rant that there's no such thing as a sus2 (CDG = GCD, a Gsus) but figured it wouldn't help the poster figure it out.

But I have to disagree that "sus2" implies a third is present. Guitarists tend to use the proper term (add) when a third is present; C-D-E-G is Cadd9, C-D-G (which should be Dsus) is now sometimes written as Csus2.

The big problem is that guitarists keep making up theory. That makes it really hard to communicate with your pianist or sax player... and they end up laughing at you behind your back!

Yep, absolutely. It's retardations that resolve downward.

I assume that's a typo and you meant to say retardations resolve UPWARDS
In fact, I'd started to write out my usual rant that there's no such thing as a sus2 (CDG = GCD, a Gsus) but figured it wouldn't help the poster figure it out.

I thought we had agreed ages ago that CDG is G sus only when the root is G, but not when it's C - If the root is C, it's either C add 9 (no 3rd) or just C add 9 with the missing 3rd implied.

Sweet Gsus.

Sweet Gsus.

What are the chances of that opportunity ever arising again!? :lol:

Fretsource - yeah, my typo. Retardations resolve up.

One of the problems that guitarists have in naming chords is that they relate a chord to a fingering rather than what's happening in the harmony. The harmony is the skeleton of the piece, and that's what chord symbols describe - they're not a mandate to play all the notes of the named chord; rather, they're a guideline for what tones may (or may not) be included.

For example, if the chord chart says C7, many guitarists will grab the open fingering they've learned - x32310. But if you lay out those same notes in some other fingering, they often won't come up with the name C7... because that open voicing has no G note. It doesn't have to - fifths and roots are essentially optional.

For an example of a root being optional, if I see a G9 in a chart, I may play x2323x. If you type that into a chord search engine, you'll get Bm7b5 (and depending on the engine, you might get other choices that aren't as logical). But once the bass player picks up the G, the whole G9 sound comes together. And even in a solo situation, the tension between B and F gives it a dominant sound, which will resolve as it's supposed to.

Theory arguments aside, I believe that kent_eh's reply is going to be the practical resolution to your problem.

What I would do is go to the link and figure out which version of the D6sus2 sounds best in the context of the other chords of the song. If all of your other chords are in root position, you probably won't want to hop up to the 10th fret [except maybe for effect] for the D6sus2.

Similarly, if all the other chords you're playing are closed [no open strings], you might want to continue that trend with the D6sus2.

Train your fingers, trust your ears.

Theory arguments aside, I believe that kent_eh's reply is going to be the practical resolution to your problem.

Yes.
What I would do is go to the link and figure out which version of the D6sus2 sounds best in the context of the other chords of the song.

Exactly, and it would be interesting if the original poster could share some context for the chord in question.
Train your fingers, trust your ears.

...And keep a nice sharp pencil handy, in case "D6sus2" turns out to be "D6/9."

I also agree that sus chords shouldn't contain a 3rd - it defeats the purpose. If a so-called '6 sus 2' chord were to contain a 3rd in addition to its root, 2nd, 5th & 6th, it would be more informative (and more familiar to most guitarists) to call it a 6/9 (6 add 9) chord instead.

Edit - Ah... Crow got in with the 6/9 just before me :D

I also agree that sus chords shouldn't contain a 3rd - it defeats the purpose.

One hopes the purpose is clear in the context of the piece. On bass, if I saw "D6sus2," I'd probably lay out on the first run-through, just to make certain what the arranger was trying to say. I have played off some godawful lead sheets, as I'm sure all of us have done.

This was the source in question. Found it in ultimate guitar tabs. I'm still learning this so I'm kinda sketchy on some stuff but some of his tabs didn't make much sense to me.

Thanks for the link Kent. Saved that little gem for future use.

Theory of a Deadman
Santa Monica
Tabbed by Myself (not me, some other myself)
Standard Tuning

Listen for the strumming, It isn't hard to figure out.
The chords over the lyrics are just a guideline, they aren't perfect

--------------2-|--------------3-----|
--12----------3-|--12----------3-----|
-----12---7---2-|-----12---7---0-----|
--------7-----0-|--------7-----2-----|
--------------0-|--------------3-----|
----------------|--------------------|
* * * * * * * *

-VERSE-

Em Bsus4 Gadd6 D6sus2 Cmaj7
She fills my bed with gasoline, You think I wouldn't notice
Em Bsus4 Gadd6 D6sus2 Cmaj7 Em
Her mind's made up, her love is gone, I think someone's trying to show us a sign
Bsus Gadd9 D6sus2 Cmaj7
That even if we thought it would last, the moment would pass
Em Bsus4 Gadd6 D6sus2 Cmaj7
My bones will break and my heart would give, Oh it hurts to live

-CHORUS- - Strum chords noted, over lead line.
- Harmonics from the intro are also overdubbed in chorus, listen
Em G D Cadd9
-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|
---4---4---4---4-|---4---4---4---4-|---4---4---4---4-|---4---4---4---4-|
-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|


-POST CHORUS-
-0--------------|-3-|-12*-|
-0-12-----------|-3-|-12*-|
-0----12---7----|-0-|-12*-|
-2-------7------|-0-|-----|
-2--------------|-2-|-----|
-0--------------|-3-|-----|
* * * *

-VERSE-
It hurts to breathe well every time that you're not next to me
Her mind's made up the girl is gone And now I'm forced to see
I think I'm on my way Oh, it hurts to live today
Oh and she says "Don't you wish you were dead like me?"

-CHORUS- - Strum chords noted, over lead line.
- Harmonics from the intro are also overdubbed in chorus, listen
Em G D Cadd9
-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|
---4---4---4---4-|---4---4---4---4-|---4---4---4---4-|---4---4---4---4-|
-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^What exactly is all that?^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

-BRIDGE- Play 4 times, then ring the last note into a quiet chorus
----------------------------|---------------------------------||-----|
----------------------------|---------------------------------||-----|
----------------------------|-----------------------7-7-7-----||-----|
-2-2-2--4-4-4--5-5-5--7-7-7-|--2-2-2--4-4-4--5-5-5--7-7-7---x4||-2~--|
-2-2-2--4-4-4--5-5-5--7-7-7-|--2-2-2--4-4-4--5-5-5--5-5-5-----||-2~--|
-0-0-0--2-2-2--3-3-3--5-5-5-|--0-0-0--2-2-2--3-3-3------------||-0~--|
Chorus Quietly - Em, G, D, C

CHORUS - x2 - Play the acoustic chords noted above the tab
- Ring out the notes with heavy distortion in the tab
Em G D Cadd9
-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-----------------|-----------------|-7~--------------|-5~--------------|
-2~--------------|-5~--------------|-7~--------------|-5~--------------|
-2~--------------|-5~--------------|-5~--------------|-3~--------------|
-0~--------------|-3~--------------|-----------------|-----------------|
OUTRO
-0--------------|-3-----------------|
-0--12----------|-3--12-------------|
-0-----12---7---|-0-----12---7------|
-2--------7-----|-0--------7--------|
-2--------------|-2-----------------|
-0--------------|-3-----------------|
* * * * * * * *
-2--------------|-3-----------------|
-3--12----------|-3-----------------|
-2-----12---7---|-0-----------------|
-0--------7-----|-2-----------------|
----------------|-3-----------------|
----------------|-------------------|
* * * *
Edited by greybeard to add "code" tags to the tab and line it all up nicely.