C Suspended 4th
Csus4
Notes
C · F · G
Intervals
- RootC (1P)
- Perfect 4thF (4P)
- Perfect 5thG (5P)
Fretboard
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About
The Csus4 chord (C–F–G) 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 F typically resolves to either C (third raised) or Cm (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 Csus2, 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
- C Blues (deg 1)
- C Harmonic Minor (I)
- C Major (I)
- C Melodic Minor (I)
- C Minor Pentatonic (deg 1)
- C Natural Minor (I)
- A Natural Minor (III)
- A♭ Major (III)
- B♭ Major (II)
- B♭ Major Pentatonic (deg 2)
- B♭ Melodic Minor (II)
- D Blues (deg 6)
- D Minor Pentatonic (deg 5)
- D Natural Minor (VII)
- E♭ Major (VI)
- E♭ Major Pentatonic (deg 5)
- F Harmonic Minor (V)
- F Major (V)
- F Major Pentatonic (deg 4)
- F Melodic Minor (V)
- F Natural Minor (V)
- G Blues (deg 3)
- G Minor Pentatonic (deg 3)
- G Natural Minor (IV)
- C Dorian (I)
- C Mixolydian (I)
- C Phrygian (I)
- A Locrian (III)
- A Phrygian (III)
- A♭ Lydian (III)
- B Locrian (II)
- B♭ Dorian (II)
- B♭ Lydian (II)
- B♭ Mixolydian (II)
- D Dorian (VII)
- D Locrian (VII)
- D Phrygian (VII)
- D♭ Lydian (VII)
- E Locrian (VI)
- E Phrygian (VI)
- E♭ Lydian (VI)
- E♭ Mixolydian (VI)
- F Dorian (V)
- F Lydian (V)
- F Mixolydian (V)
- G Dorian (IV)
- G Locrian (IV)
- G Mixolydian (IV)
- G Phrygian (IV)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. Roman numeral marks the chord root’s position in the scale; dashed badges aren’t linked yet.