Chords are composed of ascending thirds (or more). A chord chart will usually include numbers that correspond with frets to indicate which finger should play on each string.
A sus4 chord adds the 4th note of either major or minor scale to its chord base, often to form an inversion, often played before or after another major or minor chord.
Major
The major scale is at the core of all Western music, forming the basis for every chord, key and tone in a song.
Triad chords are the simplest type of chord structure. Composed of only three unique notes separated by what’s known as a third, triads have often been described as an ‘one, four, five’ progression in music performance settings.
Closed Position Fingerings are often favoured by blues players as they provide compactness and provide good range, as well as making string bending easier. Unfortunately, however, they are more challenging for beginner guitarists as there are multiple crossover notes between each pattern – this makes playing comfortably more of a challenge for newcomers to the guitar than its more established players. To overcome this obstacle more effectively it would be useful for them to become acquainted with The Circle of Fifths diagram which displays every major key and its signature.
Minor
Minor scales contain seven notes, and just like major scales there are patterns to help memorize them more quickly and build chords or compose melodies based on this scale.
CAGED system is the go-to way of representing minor scale on the fretboard, and its patterns represent moveable barre chord shapes which begin on the first note (tonic) and end at first note of next octave up.
Once you’ve learned a minor scale shape, it’s advisable to move it between different fretboard positions in order to familiarize yourself with it and create muscle memory of its position – which allows for quick and effortless playing without pausing for thought.
Sus4
A sus chord is a type of triad which replaces the 3rd with the 4th tone, whether major or minor. It is often used to create an ii chord over a V chord like G-7/C in jazz music. Csus4 or 7sus4 chords may also be written with two 4’s instead, making an add2 or add9 chord.
Sus chords can be very helpful because they convey tones that fall outside either major or minor scale. This makes them an excellent alternative to dominant 7ths and V7s – just make sure that a chord formula is being applied properly when creating these chords.
Sus5
Sus5 chords may prove more challenging to master than their sus2 or sus4 counterparts, yet are worth exploring for new sounds to add to your musical arsenal. Additionally, these types of chords may help facilitate shifting keys or provide opportunities for improvisation.
Jazz musicians frequently use these chords as substitutes for ii and vii chords, and to practice playing these kinds of chords try playing scales or arpeggios over them.
Keep in mind, chord names depend on their context of use. Before trying this kind of chord, make sure you have an in-depth knowledge of intervals; one way of testing this knowledge is singing each interval without making errors! Once this step is completed successfully, go forth!
Sus6
The sus6 scale is one note higher than the major pentatonic scale and uses all of its root notes but voiced differently, providing a great way to play instrumental lines that involve chord tones without dissonance between melodic line and chord tone.
Sus chords share many similarities with ii and V7 chords, yet also possess an element of movement, making them great as substitutions and in chord progressions leading to cadences.
Sus chords are used extensively in jazz music to create tension and resolution within a progression, so understanding them and practicing them are both crucial parts of learning to compose jazz music. Once you understand these chords you’ll be able to incorporate them into your compositions with ease!