Gsus, this guy knows what he's talking about.

This guy just exposed the secret of every theatrical soundtrack

You should have more views, you're actually a really very good teacher.

This guy is awesome! I'm in my 50's and have been studying music since I was a teenager. Watching these videos is finally clicking on the light bulb. Thank you!

As a physicist who is also in love with music I like the analogy, that major, minor, augmented chords and so on - with their 3rds construction are "gravitational centres" and the sus class is " zero gravity space" wherein you wait for a directing force, which pushes you back into a direction of gravitation :D

I spent over 100 quid on a music course at a local college but learned more from this. I'm subscribing!

Suspended chords, at least in the traditional sense, are really not chords on their own. Though today you also see them used as actual chords. One of the most common way is a dominant 9 sus 4 chord. If we are in the key of C, we would most commonly use a G9sus4 (that is basically the same chord as F/G) and it would have a dominant function in the key. But we are still talking about clear functional harmony and technically I don't think that's really a "suspended chord", but I guess the name has just stayed and today it just refers to a chord with the third replaced by a 4th or a 2nd. Some modal jazz tunes are based on sus chords/stacks of fourths instead of normal stacks of thirds. I guess it's because of the "ambiguous" sound of the chord that you talked about in the video. I know the explanation of the traditional use of suspended chords was simplified but I just wanted to point out that there were a couple of mistakes. Don't get me wrong, it was a good simple explanation. But I had a problem with a couple of things. First, during the renaissance period the concept of a "chord" or a "chord progression" didn't really exist yet. That doesn't mean that if you today analyzed a renaissance piece, you couldn't find any chords in it. But my point is, back then they didn't think in chords. They thought in intervals created by many melodies played/sung at the same time. It was based on polyphony and counterpoint. They didn't think about chords the same way we do today. Suspensions come from two voice counterpoint. The idea of a suspension was keeping "voice #1" still while moving "voice #2" up or down by a step. This created a dissonance (2nd, 4th, tritone or 7th) between the voices that needed to be resolved. And you resolved it by moving down by a step with the "voice #1". There were originally actually three different kinds of suspensions: 4-3 (same as what we today know as a sus4), 9-8 (or 2-1) and 7-6. This is how it worked with two voice counterpoint, and if you wanted to write for more voices, you always started with two voice counterpoint. The basis of modern voice leading is also in modal counterpoint of the renaissance period. But yeah, the mistake you made was that you used parallel fifths that were avoided in renaissance counterpoint (and not just renaissance counterpoint - they were avoided in music for a pretty long time). So basically the chord change you showed would not have been typical to renaissance or not even to music that came after that. Only during the late 19th century people started experimenting with parallel fifths more. But if you look at music from renaissance to early romantic period, you will notice that parallel fifths were not part of those styles. A lot more common suspension would be something like C-Gsus4-G-C. Or replace the first C major with F major. Here is what that would look like with three voices: C -> C -> B -> C E -> D -> D -> E G -> G -> G -> G Or if the first chord was F major: F -> D -> D -> E A -> G -> G -> G C -> C -> B -> C But whatever, as I said, it was a good simple explanation for how to use suspended chords traditionally and I just wanted to nitpick a bit. And probably nobody will read this but I decided to post it anyway. :)

Gsus is not suspended, it's nailed.

I love to play sus2 chords on a distorted guitar, it just feels so cozy and atmospheric, really soothing.

Hi Michael - I am a mature student studying for a music degree in England. My music theory is full of holes and I am finding your videos really useful - you explain things very well. I recommend you to my fellow students if they are not sure of anything - at degree level here we don't get 'taught' but but have find out for ourselves. I am so grateful to have found you on youtube.

I know some theory but the way you teach and show the usefulness and/or possibilities of the various components of theory is incredible. I wish I could sub multiple times. This is gold.

as some one coming from the guitar, piano is SOOOO much easier. Memorizing the guitar neck and finding all the scales and roots is alot of work. But for piano, its no sweat. Its like music was made for the piano.

Friend: what type of chord you're playing? Me: *that's sus*

The sus4 does so many cool things such as when playing C to Csus4 in the Pink Floyd song pigs on the wing it sounds very good. Also you'll notice that the chord progression F to C sounds very cool and dramatic. It happens to be that F is the sus4 note of C. AND G7 sounds really good before C and it ALSO happened to be that the seventh of G, which is F, is the sus 4 of C. Edit: I made these observation from playing the guitar

I've watched several other videos on Sus chords but none have explained them as clearly as you have. Now I have something that will help me with a project I'm working on. Thanks.

your lessons are so concisely presented. keep up the excellent manner of instruction.

Thanks for your willingness to share your knowledge. Your videos are very friendly and helpful.

Just want you to know how fantastic these videos are, thank you so much for finding the time to make them!

I've been playing music my whole life, and I never could have explained this as clearly as you do. Awesome job.

Explained so simply and accessibly while teaching some really cool stuff. Will be coming back to this channel!

Thanks for making videos again :) You are seriously the best at teaching music theory!

What a great tip, I've been learning by myself for a year with tutorials and stuff like that, and the way you explain things is very good. Thanks for doing this so we begginers can learn other things we wouldn't learn any other way.

This is a great review session!! Thanks, Mike.

This guy has hugely improved my guitar feeling. Makes me look at the neck in completely different ways

You just earned my subscription!! Fantastic lesson!

Mind blown! I've been binge watching your chords video series for 2 hours now. It is all finally starting to make sense, after 20 years of playing the piano! 😲

*Man, I've just found your channel, and I think it's gold right there. Subscribed, and keep up the nice work!!*

Sus 2 is very common in rock

Thank you for posting all these Piano/Theory videos Michael. I've learned a lot from you.

Your videos are so helpful! I really appreciate what you are doing and want to tell you that I like a lot your work. Video, audio, explanation, topics and stuff. Right now I can't support you with any money but definitely I will. Keep doing your stuff and thanks a lot

Such a great video. I use suspended chords a lot but have never understood them very well. Your presentation style is so clear and direct, can't wait to watch through more videos on your channel. Thank you!

Glad I saw this suggested to me! I learned a lot about suspended chords.

I always though Sus chords were interesting because they sound like two notes are competing for the dominant tone. For example, in a Gsus2 (G,A,D), the G->D interval is G dominant, while the A->D interval is D Dominant. So it sounds like G and D are fighting for the base tone. For a Gsus (G,C,D), the G->D is G dominant, and the G->C is C dominant. The battle is then between G and C.

Great to see you do video's again. All the vague theory I pick up here and there become really clear. Looking forward to the key translation video.

Really solid job, I needed this refresher.

One of my favourite progressions is G, Csus2, Em, D. It’s a pretty basic chord progression but the Csus2 spices it up massively 😍. Also adding an Em7 too

I'm watching all your videos now, even though (as a composition student) I already know more than enough music theory-I'm always looking for ways to explain concepts like these in as clear and understandable ways as possible, and your efforts have set the new benchmark :) If I can make a suggestion though, please set your MIDI keyboard an octave higher. That way the examples will sound much clearer and don't clash as much with the register of your voice either.

WOW!!!! THANK YOU, FOR THIS CONCISE, AND VERY ENLIGHTENING LESSON!!! I ALWAYS APPRECIATE UNDERSTANDING THE "MECHANICS" OF WHY THINGS ARE THE WAY THEY ARE, AND HOW TO DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENCES!

Excellent video ! You explain things really well and intuitively !

Excellent. Didn't realize the inversions of sus2 create a different sus4 and vice versa! Thanks Michael.

when the imposter is sus4

I love your videos because they assume a level of competency on my part but are still very easily understood.

The ambiguity of these chords, and their interchangeable nature allows for so many possibilities within chord progressions, phrase development and organization. Thank you for your work!

Have you done a video on modes? Really struggling with them and you have the perfect way of teaching

Just a thought. Maybe you should have given us a bit more context musically. I mean it would be nice if you could play a longer, say 4 to 5 chord progression, with suspended chords thrown here and there to show how they can behave within a piece. That would be interesting or even enlightening :-) But thanks for a very interesting lesson, anyway.

Best explanation I’ve seen on youtube for so long 🙌🏼Thanks

Well illustrated! Love your video!

Its crazy. Im learning instruments for 2 years soon (piano and guitar) and nobody told me this although it only took 13 minutes? This video is really valuable. Cant believe how bad music teachers are these days.

OMG! I have always loved suspended chords only I didn’t know about them yet, until today! I love this video! So like, in Bach’s toccata and fugue, in the first few measures, that major chord resolution, that’s a D (?) sus4, to a sus2 to a major chord?

This video was so helpful. Really great explanation. I have been trying to figure this shit out for weeks, but you just explained it so well with that first example of a Gsus4 being a Csus2

Really great video. Never really understood Sus chords and how to use them before this. I really like the way you presented everything and showed diff examples + put these in a historical context.

When the E is sus!!!!!😳😳😳

Circle of fifth comes handy here, too.

I've always know about suspended chords, but never figured out a good way to use it. Using them as a 'tension' chord or to transition is such a good idea, I can't believe i never thought of trying it. Thank you for sharing!

Excellent stuff, learned a lot - things I sorta knew before fell much more snuggly into place, thanks!

I honestly think that suspended chords sound cleaner than augmented and diminished chords

cool lesson. i've been a fan of using both sus4 and 2 chords, but i never really clued into the fact that when they are inverted, they can be a different chord. i may have to try using that in something. by the way, what do you call it if you play a suspended chord but also still have the 3rd? is it still suspended or is it just and "add" chord? i tend to do that quite a bit on guitar.

Thank for the great instructional video. As a visually oriented musician, your demonstration helps make the concepts VERY clear to me. This is my first stop at your channel. I now have it as a go to site. Keep it up! Good job.

Very illuminating explanation of chords that I've wondered a lot about. Thanks so much!!

They didn't "get bored of chords" in the olden times, thus coming up with these Sus 4 & Sus 9 chords as refreshments. The music then was contrapuntal. A note (say F) is suspended either to the next harmony and or next measure. So, the F from the say a G7 in prior measure is still sounding/ringing while say, C and G are now struck All making a C sus. Then the F usually drops down to either E Nat. or Eb...producing either a C major or minor. The way Mike is presenting suspension is called 'percussed dissonance', when the C F and G are all hit at the same time or beat. A perfect example of percussed dissonance is the famous first chord of "A Hard Day's Night" before the vocals..'Baaaanngggg !!' " It's been a hard day's......." I alway hear it as G7 Sus.. Some claim it's D Sus..(which would play a more common roll as the dominant chord used as a pickup) as it's C (7th) would resolve to the B (3rd of G chord, its 'A' to the tonic G). But the Beatles were always breaking rules (for the best !). Another Beatle song with first chord as a percussed Sus. is "I Need You" where the 3rd of 'A' triad (C#) goes down to B (Sus. 2 or 9) then up to D as a Sus 4 resolving to C#... in key of 'A'..Yet another Beatle intro is "This Boy" where we hear the 3rd of D maj., F#, go down to E and back to F#, a percussed Sus 2 or 9....If you play or listen to classical music there are millions of examples of real, contrapuntal suspensions and little percussed suspensions...Over all, Mike New is perfectly correct though. It's the origin of 'Sus' that's a tad off kilter .......M

A suggestion for a topic if you have not already done this.... a lesson on chord substitution.... I play guitar and like to play classics and standards. I would like to arrange some of them to use more than just the basic chords and to fill in with nice chords in between the standard chords.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THESE LESSONS! I have been trying for over a year to understand music theory and you have finally made everything click. the way you explain things and use the visual aid if the keyboard is brilliant! I would love to have you as my theory professor :)

When the chord is sus

I remember some hard rock bands in the eighties used them on ballads to make things more interesting.

Man, how come I never stumbled upon this before! You definitely are the best teacher I've seen on music theory ever. You explain things in a very concise and clear way. Amazing man, big fan!

Thankyou. I love your clear and concise explanation.

Hey I've got a question regarding suspended chords and key changes. May I use suspended chords (or even 7th chords) as well to change the key? By the way your videos are great, they helped me alot to understand more from what I'm playing (especially the circle of 5th)!

When the imposter is sus!😳 ⠀⠀⠀⡯⡯⡾⠝⠘⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢊⠘⡮⣣⠪⠢⡑⡌ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ⠀⠀⠀⠟⠝⠈⠀⠀⠀⠡⠀⠠⢈⠠⢐⢠⢂⢔⣐⢄⡂⢔⠀⡁⢉⠸⢨⢑⠕⡌ ㅤ ⠀⠀⡀⠁⠀⠀⠀⡀⢂⠡⠈⡔⣕⢮⣳⢯⣿⣻⣟⣯⣯⢷⣫⣆⡂⠀⠀⢐⠑⡌ ⢀⠠⠐⠈⠀⢀⢂⠢⡂⠕⡁⣝⢮⣳⢽⡽⣾⣻⣿⣯⡯⣟⣞⢾⢜⢆⠀⡀⠀⠪ ⣬⠂⠀⠀⢀⢂⢪⠨⢂⠥⣺⡪⣗⢗⣽⢽⡯⣿⣽⣷⢿⡽⡾⡽⣝⢎⠀⠀⠀⢡ ⣿⠀⠀⠀⢂⠢⢂⢥⢱⡹⣪⢞⡵⣻⡪⡯⡯⣟⡾⣿⣻⡽⣯⡻⣪⠧⠑⠀⠁⢐ ⣿⠀⠀⠀⠢⢑⠠⠑⠕⡝⡎⡗⡝⡎⣞⢽⡹⣕⢯⢻⠹⡹⢚⠝⡷⡽⡨⠀⠀⢔ ⣿⡯⠀⢈⠈⢄⠂⠂⠐⠀⠌⠠⢑⠱⡱⡱⡑⢔⠁⠀⡀⠐⠐⠐⡡⡹⣪⠀⠀⢘ ⣿⣽⠀⡀⡊⠀⠐⠨⠈⡁⠂⢈⠠⡱⡽⣷⡑⠁⠠⠑⠀⢉⢇⣤⢘⣪⢽⠀⢌⢎ ⣿⢾⠀⢌⠌⠀⡁⠢⠂⠐⡀⠀⢀⢳⢽⣽⡺⣨⢄⣑⢉⢃⢭⡲⣕⡭⣹⠠⢐⢗ ⣿⡗⠀⠢⠡⡱⡸⣔⢵⢱⢸⠈⠀⡪⣳⣳⢹⢜⡵⣱⢱⡱⣳⡹⣵⣻⢔⢅⢬⡷ ⣷⡇⡂⠡⡑⢕⢕⠕⡑⠡⢂⢊⢐⢕⡝⡮⡧⡳⣝⢴⡐⣁⠃⡫⡒⣕⢏⡮⣷⡟ ⣷⣻⣅⠑⢌⠢⠁⢐⠠⠑⡐⠐⠌⡪⠮⡫⠪⡪⡪⣺⢸⠰⠡⠠⠐⢱⠨⡪⡪⡰ ⣯⢷⣟⣇⡂⡂⡌⡀⠀⠁⡂⠅⠂⠀⡑⡄⢇⠇⢝⡨⡠⡁⢐⠠⢀⢪⡐⡜⡪⡊ ⣿⢽⡾⢹⡄⠕⡅⢇⠂⠑⣴⡬⣬⣬⣆⢮⣦⣷⣵⣷⡗⢃⢮⠱⡸⢰⢱⢸⢨⢌ ⣯⢯⣟⠸⣳⡅⠜⠔⡌⡐⠈⠻⠟⣿⢿⣿⣿⠿⡻⣃⠢⣱⡳⡱⡩⢢⠣⡃⠢⠁ ⡯⣟⣞⡇⡿⣽⡪⡘⡰⠨⢐⢀⠢⢢⢄⢤⣰⠼⡾⢕⢕⡵⣝⠎⢌⢪⠪⡘⡌⠀ ⡯⣳⠯⠚⢊⠡⡂⢂⠨⠊⠔⡑⠬⡸⣘⢬⢪⣪⡺⡼⣕⢯⢞⢕⢝⠎⢻⢼⣀⠀ ⠁⡂⠔⡁⡢⠣⢀⠢⠀⠅⠱⡐⡱⡘⡔⡕⡕⣲⡹⣎⡮⡏⡑⢜⢼⡱⢩⣗⣯⣟ ⢀⢂⢑⠀⡂⡃⠅⠊⢄⢑⠠⠑⢕⢕⢝⢮⢺⢕⢟⢮⢊⢢⢱⢄⠃⣇⣞⢞⣞⢾ ⢀⠢⡑⡀⢂⢊⠠⠁⡂⡐⠀⠅⡈⠪⠪⠪⠣⠫⠑⡁⢔⠕⣜⣜⢦⡰⡎⡯⡾⡽

Your videos are awesome. You talk about it all in a way I understand. Thank you!!!

I love your tutorials. One of the best out there.

Do you teach theory somewhere?

interesting lesson! I didn't know you could make a sus2 to an other sus4 by inverting them

Best possible explanation! Thanks! Starting with the basics and making its way to the more complex ones, explaining every step along the way. This is the only way things can be explained and understood! Other "youtubers" should pay attention to that. But nothing can help them have a good explanation if they don't know what they are talking about, in the first place.

i'm mindblown with every one of your videos, you are awesome

You missed One very nice use of suspended Chords. Xmaj Xsus2 Xsus4 Xmin That is a nice tool to switch modes and covering it slightly...

How the heck does someone give this a thumbs down. Great vid man. Thanks

Brilliant tutorial, very clear and concise

Very useful and interesting video as usual. Looking forward to your tutorial on key changing)

Good content. What was throwing me was that several times in the video you mention "D-chord" to something (such as at the beginning around the 15 sec mark D to C). What I failed to catch is why the D-chord has F natural rather than F#. Having seen several of your videos, I know you are proficient in theory and structure so I doubt it was a mistake to do D-F-A instead of D-F#-A. Could you explain if it's a major to/from minor progression or based on specific half steps.

Speaking of tension, did anyone else feel anxiety with the length of time the marker was uncovered?

Thanks for all the videos. I learned a lot.

I subbed. basically because this was really useful information and clearly explained. Suspended chords sound really nice when transitioning like you said. Thanks!

wouldn't a Csus2 be also a Gsus4, and so on with all others?

jesus4

Well done. Best explanation I have seen yet.

Fantastic explanation sir. You are amazing at this!

Well some inaccuracy in the description of renaissance composers. It's pretty unlikely that they thought of in terms of chords and chord progressions. That was the time of polyphonic vocal music mostly and they thought in terms of counterpoint and intervals that in turn gave rise to harmony. This was the time before functional harmony and Rameau codifying those laws. Also if you are operating with suspended chords without resolving them, then your harmonic language can be describes as quartal.

😳😳😳😳😳😳amogus?!??😳😳😳😳

I appreciate your videos. I’ve been playing guitar for years and never bothered to learn theory until recently. You’re one of the best professors I’ve ever had, for what it’s worth

Thanks michale. Good teaching!!!

So the surface of your desk is whiteboard material?

By the way, you didn't mention why they are called "suspended" chords. I read elsewhere it is because the 3rd is suspended (i.e. removed from the chord - is that right?

The way you explain music is brilliant and exactly what I've been looking for

Very informative and interesting, as usual. Thanks!

Informative and interesting. Thanks for this video. New subscriber. Also, what's with the asshole comments section?

2:05 "it's very easy to C" ;)

Great video, as always! I've learned a lot from your videos.

Extremely well described. Never understood this at all until now. Thanks mate! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

i hate the internet

G Sus 😳