Arpeggio
G♯ 7sus4
Sus
- Formula
- 1 4 5 ♭7
- Notes
- G♯ C♯ D♯ F♯
Notation
Fretboard — frets 0–24
Degrees
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G♯ | perfect unison | 0 | The root — the tonal centre every other note is heard against; land on it and the sound resolves. |
| 4 | C♯ | perfect fourth | 5 | The perfect fourth — stable yet suspended; in sus4 it takes the third's place and leaves the chord hanging. |
| 5 | D♯ | perfect fifth | 7 | The perfect fifth — the root's strongest companion; it anchors every triad and stacked-seventh quality. |
| ♭7 | F♯ | minor seventh | 10 | The minor seventh — the dominant's engine; a whole step under the root, it turns a triad into a 7 chord and drives the resolution. |
About this arpeggio
The dominant suspended fourth — the 'So What' chord — puts a minor seventh under the classic sus4 shape, creating the most famous suspended sound in jazz. The fourth still wants to fall to the third, but the seventh adds forward motion, so the chord can either resolve into a dominant seventh or float indefinitely over a static vamp. It is essential vocabulary for funk, gospel and contemporary jazz, and one of the most satisfying shapes to arpeggiate slowly. Because the third is absent, the chord never declares major or minor. Listen for the fourth and seventh framing the fifth: that stacked-fourths sound is the whole atmosphere.
How to practise this arpeggio
- Play the fourth and seventh together and listen for the stacked-fourths sound.
- Loop the chord over a static vamp and hold the suspension for bars.
- Resolve the fourth to the third and hear it become a dominant seventh.
- Compare it with 7sus2 to hear how the fourth changes the atmosphere.