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number and resolution of suspended chords

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(@el_warko)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 46
Topic starter  

Greeting all,

someone once told me many moons ago that there are 3 sus chords

sus2, sus4, and sus6?

i am aware that each requires resolution and from memory i think i was told either to resolve down i.e. Csus4 to C, or make the next chord contain the 3rd (E or Eb) (in the given example)

could someone please confirm or deny this. also how many ways are there to resolve sus chords.

thank you for your time

Mark

el_warko


   
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(@sevenroy)
Active Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 8
 

as with most chords, there are numerous ways to resolve a suspended chord...though I'm not sure what a sus6 chord is.

*sus2 chords resolve up to its corresponding minor chord very well...Csus2 (C D G) to Cm (C Eb G)...that's a half step move up
*sus2 chords also resolve up to the major b6 very well also...Csus2 (C D G) to Ab (Ab C Eb) as two notes move up a half step.

The possibilites are endless


   
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(@el_warko)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 46
Topic starter  

Cheers,

i guess that sus6 i mentioned would be C E F, but i suppose that would be written as C6(no 5).

thanks though, it has given me something to think about

el_warko


   
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(@hbriem)
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Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 646
 

i guess that sus6 i mentioned would be C E F, but i suppose that would be written as C6(no 5).

No, C-E-F would be a Cadd11(no5) or an Fmaj7(no 3rd) or something, but definitely not a C6 of any kind.

Technically and classically speaking, there is only one sus chord, Sus4.

Sus2 has sort of honorary membership and often functions in a similar way. As noteboat has often pointed out, it's really a kind of sus4 as well.

Sus6 however, is a different story. Let's look at it.

An ordinary major chord is 1-3-5 (C-E-G). Let's remove the 3 (E) and replace it with a 6 (A) and we get C-G-A. Yes, you might see that as a kind of "sus" chord, resolving it back to C.

However, if we rearrange the notes to: A-C-_-G, it starts to look a lot more like an Am7(no 5), doesn't it?

--
Helgi Briem
hbriem AT gmail DOT com


   
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(@el_warko)
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No, C-E-F would be a Cadd11(no5) or an Fmaj7(no 3rd) or something, but definitely not a C6 of any kind.

i follow what your saying but, surely for the chord to be an add11, the F would have to be outside of the octave of the C, otherwise it's a 6 isn't it?
An ordinary major chord is 1-3-5 (C-E-G). Let's remove the 3 (E) and replace it with a 6 (A) and we get C-G-A. Yes, you might see that as a kind of "sus" chord, resolving it back to C.

However, if we rearrange the notes to: A-C-_-G, it starts to look a lot more like an Am7(no 5), doesn't it?

I agree it does look a lot more like an Am7(no 5), but if you start moving the notes of a chord around don't you end up with a different chord anyway?

el_warko


   
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(@rtb_chris)
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Posts: 24
 

i follow what your saying but, surely for the chord to be an add11, the F would have to be outside of the octave of the C, otherwise it's a 6 isn't it?

A 6 equates to a 13...a 4 equates to an 11...a 2 equates to a 9. For practical purposes, the octave is irrelevant; it's the presence (or lack thereof) of a 7 that determines which number you use (between 2 and 9, 4 and 11, and 6 and 13).

http://www.raisingthebarre.com


   
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