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A suspended chord does one thing only: it removes the third of a triad.
major: C–E–G sus4: C–F–G (third replaced by the fourth) sus2: C–D–G (third replaced by the second)
The note removed happens to be the one that decides major or minor (see major triad and minor triad). So the defining property is:
It is neither major nor minor.
That produces a peculiar effect: the chord itself is consonant (the perfect fourth and fifth are both there), but the information about brightness is missing, so it hangs. That is exactly what "suspended" means.
It comes from counterpoint, not from a new chord
Historically the suspended chord came from the suspension: a voice stays put while the harmony changes, so it briefly becomes a note foreign to the new chord, and then steps down to resolve.
| Stage | State | Example |
|---|---|---|
| preparation | the note belongs to the previous chord | the previous chord contains F |
| suspension | the note is held, creating dissonance | C–F–G (a suspended fourth) |
| resolution | the note steps down (or up) to a chord tone | C–E–G |
So in traditional harmony a suspended chord is a process: its appearance prepares its own resolution.
Modern use
In pop and jazz the suspended chord acquired a new identity: a chord that may simply stay.
- sus4 is commonly used at the start of a section to create anticipation;
- sus2 sounds more open (the second collides with the root but the fifth above holds it apart);
- both are often used to postpone the arrival of major or minor, letting the music hang a while longer.
Diagram: the note that got replaced
Listen: suspended chords
Hear sus4, then sus2, then the major triad. The difference is not consonance but whether the brightness is settled.
Common misconceptions
- "A suspended chord is an unresolved chord." Traditional writing treats it as a process; modern writing lets it be the destination.
- "sus4 and sus2 differ only in notation." A different note is replaced (fourth versus second) and the sound differs: sus4 tighter, sus2 more open.
- "Suspended chords are a modern invention." They come from contrapuntal suspensions and have been standard for centuries.
- "A suspended chord is still major or minor." It is neither. Once the third is gone, major and minor no longer exist — which is precisely why it hangs.
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Listen in the library
All tracks from midicn-lib — inline badge is the license tier (C1 commercial / C2 non-commercial / C3 study only).
Sources
- 挂留和弦 = 将三和弦的三音替换为二度或四度（sus2 / sus4），属和声学通则
- 挂留音（suspension）源自对位法中的延留音，挂留和弦是它的和声化结果，为通行表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.