Sus Chords, also known as Suspended Chords, are chords that do not contain a third, but instead contain a fourth or second. They are called suspended chords because the replacement of the third creates tension and dissonance and removes a clear major or minor quality from the chord.
Watch the video to learn how to identify Sus2 chords in CAGED shapes using the Circle of Fifths:
Like a standard triad, Sus chords can be inverted. Sus 4 inversions look like this:
1-4-5 (Root), 4-5-1 (1st Inversion), 5-1-4 (2nd Inversion)
Csus4 chords inversions are C-F-G (Root), F-G-C (1st Inversion) and G-C-F (2nd Inversion).
Our dry-erase fretboard sheet, the “Interval Chorder” is great for practicing Sus4 chord shapes using the intervals patterns shown below.
Inversions for a Sus 2 look like this:
1-2-5 (Root), 2-5-1 (1st Inversion), 5-1-2 (2nd Inversion)
In the diagrams below, you can see that an adjacent fourth (grey diamond) serves as a reference point to locate a chord tone on an adjacent string.
Watch our video on how to visualize the Csus2 chord over the entire fretboard using the Circle of Fifths:
Add Chords
Add chords or added tone chords are triads with an added note that is a tension. When naming the add chord, you must include the tension in the chord symbol.
A “Cmaj9” chord with stacked thirds is constructed like this:
1 – 3 – 5 – 7 – 9 (C-E-G-B-D).
A “C add9” would look like this:
1 – 3 – 5 – 9 (C-E-G-D)
A “Cm add9” would look like this:
1 – ♭3 – 5 – 9 (C-E♭-G-D)
| Add Chords - Root C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | E | G | C Maj | |
| 1 | 3 | 5 | ||
| C | E | G | D | C (add9) |
| 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | |
| C | E♭ | G | D | Cm (add9) |
| 1 | ♭3 | 5 | 9 | |
add9 (Major & Minor)
Remember, a 9 can also be known as the 2, so use the NANDI Method by climbing in fourths from the root to find the 9. From the root, you climb two fourths and a major third.
Power Chords are simple, three-fret chords that are extremely popular in rock, pop, and punk. Technically speaking, they are not chords because they don’t have a third. Without a third a chord is neither major nor minor, and which makes the chord lack a quality. You could think of a power chord as a “perfect” chord (as opposed to major or minor).
They are constructed rather simply, consisting of the 1, 5, and then usually the octave of the 1 on top.
If you were to play an F power chord starting on your 1st fret of the low E string, you would use the NANDI Method to move up one fourth, then up two-half-steps to reach the fifth. From the fifth you move up one fourth and you’re back at the root. That’s it!
1 → 4 → 5 → 1
