Who this is for
Players who know sus chords and want to use them to shape tension in songs. Already use sus before resolutions? Test out on Day 5.
Best done after: Suspended & Colour Chords. It is advice, not a rule: every lesson has short "rusty on…?" boxes for anything you skipped.
Why learn this
A **suspension** is a small delay: a note from the old chord is held while the harmony changes underneath, creating a gentle clash, then it falls to a note that fits. It is one of the most beautiful and common ways to make music breathe, and it is behind the "ahh" sound in hymns, ballads and film scores.
You already know the chord version (sus4, sus2). This program adds the **moving** version: tension and release inside a single melody note. As always, it is a suggestion: if you like how it sounds, it is right.
What you will be able to do
- Sus2 and sus4 as colour and as delay
- Holding a note over a chord change (4–3)
- The 7–6 and 9–8 suspensions
- V7sus4 into V7
- Writing suspensions into a melody
The 5-day plan
- A note held back. Say what a suspension is and hear the 4–3.
- Sus chords in a progression. Place a sus chord before its plain chord in a loop.
- 7–6, 9–8 and the dominant sus. Know the other classic suspensions and the V7sus4 move.
- Writing with suspensions. Put a suspension into a melody and a progression.
- Test day: tension and release. Show you can recognise sus chords and place suspensions.
How each session works
Every day follows the shape of a workout. It starts with a warm-up that reviews earlier days, then technique: a short, plain explanation with a small interactive tool to try it on. Then come the working sets, drills with instant feedback, and a finisher, a short test with a pass mark so you only build on things you can do. A cool-down recaps the day and previews the next.
Choose your split
The daily split is a session a day: done in a week. The easy split is a session every other day, with rest days between: two weeks, and a gentler pace. On your own pace there is no schedule. Nothing is ever locked, and you can change split at any time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a sus chord and a suspension?
A sus chord is a chord with no 3rd (the 2nd or 4th instead). A suspension is the moment a note is held over from one chord into the next, where it clashes briefly, then resolves. A sus chord played before its plain version is a suspension in chord form.
Why does a suspension sound so good?
Because tension followed by release feels satisfying. The held note is a small surprise, and the way it falls makes the next chord arrive more strongly.
Which direction does a suspension resolve?
Down, by step. The classic ones are 4–3 (the 4th falls to the 3rd) and 7–6 (the 7th falls to the 6th). There is also the 2–3 (a bass suspension) which resolves up, but down is the usual way.
Can I use them in pop and worship?
All the time: Csus4 to C, Dsus2 to D and Gsus4 to G are everywhere in those styles.