B Seventh Suspended Fourth Chord (B7sus4)

1Composition: what it contains

B – E – F♯ – A

Symbol

B7sus4

Also written

B7sus4, B7sus, Bsus7

Formula

1 4 5 ♭7

2Appearance: diagrams and sound

On the guitar

On the ukulele

On the piano

On the staff

On bass and as an arpeggio

3Indications: what it is used for

Used as a V chord before the V7 (V7sus4–V7–I), as a modal dominant in jazz, funk, fusion and gospel, and as a static vamp chord in modal jazz. It is often equivalent to a ii7 chord over the V bass (ii/V) or to a 9sus4 chord. Classical music uses it as a suspension resolving to V7. It suits pop and rock as a softer alternative to the dominant seventh, and Mixolydian is the typical scale over it.

4Dosage: how to practise it

On guitar, learn the barre shapes rooted on the sixth and fifth strings and practise resolving the fourth to the third (7sus4–7). On piano, play root-4-5-♭7 in all inversions, and practise the 'slash' voicing of a ii7 chord over the V root. Practise V7sus4–V7–I in all keys at 70–110 BPM. Improvise over a 7sus4 vamp with Mixolydian for five minutes daily. On bass, alternate root and fifth while the chord rings, then add the flat seventh in fills.

5Warnings and common mistakes

Do not add the major third to a 7sus4 voicing unless you want an eleventh chord sound: the 'sus' means no third. Do not confuse it with an eleventh chord, which also contains the ninth. On guitar, check that the fourth is fretted and the third muted. In classical writing, the fourth should resolve down by step to the third. The symbol 'sus7' is ambiguous; prefer 7sus4.

6Interactions with chords, scales and keys

Inversions

• Inversion 1 · B7sus4/E · E – F♯ – A – B Play
• Inversion 2 · B7sus4/F♯ · F♯ – A – B – E Play
• Inversion 3 · B7sus4/A · A – B – E – F♯ Play

Scales to play over B7sus4

• B Natural Minor Scale
• B Dorian Mode
• B Phrygian Mode
• B Mixolydian Mode
• B Minor Pentatonic Scale
• B Blues Scale
• B Phrygian Dominant Scale
• B Bebop Dominant Scale

7Other presentations available

The same chord from every note

C7sus4 C♯7sus4 D7sus4 E♭7sus4 E7sus4 F7sus4 F♯7sus4 G7sus4 A♭7sus4 A7sus4 B♭7sus4

Other chords on B

B Bm Bdim Baug Bsus2 Bsus4 B5 B6 Bm6 B7 Bmaj7 Bm7 Bm7♭5 Bdim7 Bm(maj7) Badd9 Bm(add9) B6/9 B9 Bmaj9 Bm9 B11 Bm11 B13 B7♭9 B7♯9 B7♯5 B7♭5