A Suspended 4th
Asus4
Notes
A · D · E
Intervals
- RootA (1P)
- Perfect 4thD (4P)
- Perfect 5thE (5P)
Fretboard
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About
The Asus4 chord (A–D–E) also replaces the third — this time with a perfect fourth. The fourth has a stronger gravitational pull than the second; in common-practice harmony it traditionally resolves downward to the third, making sus4 feel more like a delayed resolution than a neutral color. This makes it effective for rhythmic tension and release, especially in rock and gospel. The D typically resolves to either A (third raised) or Am (third lowered). On guitar the modification is often a single-finger addition or movement from a major shape; the fourth is the defining tone and must be present. Compared to Asus2, sus4 has a clearer sense of wanting to land somewhere.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- A Blues (deg 1)
- A Harmonic Minor (I)
- A Major (I)
- A Melodic Minor (I)
- A Minor Pentatonic (deg 1)
- A Natural Minor (I)
- B Blues (deg 6)
- B Minor Pentatonic (deg 5)
- B Natural Minor (VII)
- C Major (VI)
- C Major Pentatonic (deg 5)
- D Harmonic Minor (V)
- D Major (V)
- D Major Pentatonic (deg 4)
- D Melodic Minor (V)
- D Natural Minor (V)
- E Blues (deg 3)
- E Minor Pentatonic (deg 3)
- E Natural Minor (IV)
- F Major (III)
- F♯ Natural Minor (III)
- G Major (II)
- G Major Pentatonic (deg 2)
- G Melodic Minor (II)
- A Dorian (I)
- A Mixolydian (I)
- A Phrygian (I)
- B Dorian (VII)
- B Locrian (VII)
- B Phrygian (VII)
- B♭ Lydian (VII)
- C Lydian (VI)
- C Mixolydian (VI)
- D Dorian (V)
- D Lydian (V)
- D Mixolydian (V)
- E Dorian (IV)
- E Locrian (IV)
- E Mixolydian (IV)
- E Phrygian (IV)
- F Lydian (III)
- F♯ Locrian (III)
- F♯ Phrygian (III)
- G Dorian (II)
- G Lydian (II)
- G Mixolydian (II)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. Roman numeral marks the chord root’s position in the scale; dashed badges aren’t linked yet.