Sus. Chords

Sus. or suspended chords create a sense of suspended harmonic tension. They do this by replacing the 3rd of the chord with the 4th or 2nd. Since the 3rd of a chord plays a crucial role in determining its quality, that quality becomes ambiguous- almost hanging in the air as if waiting to resolve when it is suspended to the 4th or 2nd degree of the chord.

In classical music, sus. chords are used primarily to create tension before resolving to the major 3rd of a chord. J. S. Bach regularly used sus. chords in cadences to create this tension and release.

In jazz, however, sus. chords are used quite often without any resolution. This sound was achieved and pioneered by jazz piano great, McCoy Tyner.

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