In the video below, I explain a few ways to conceptualize the Sus chord.
Sus is short for suspension – in church music, the “ah” in “Amen” – is an example of a simple 4 to 3 “suspension” sound; the Gsus going to G triad.
I think of the Sus chord as a true Mixolydian sound, so on G7sus4 I often play melodies that tend to come from the 7 notes of G mixolydian.
The structure is 1, 4, 5, b7 and the upper structure is 9, 3, 13 (the 3rd becomes a color note on a Sus chord).
You can also treat the Sus chord as G7 or G7 #11 playing bebop scale ideas, blues ideas, lydian dominant ideas etc.
The play along below will allow you to practice using the various concepts discussed in the video. Be sure to sing everything you play and visa-versa!
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~ Enjoy!
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Use the play along below to practice the various Tetrads or 4 note cells found in the G mixolydian scale. Alternate between singing and playing each idea.
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