B seven sus4 chordB7sus4

Built from

• Broot
• E4th
• F♯5th
• Aflat 7th

A dominant 7 with its 3rd suspended to the 4th: double the waiting.

Hear it in a progression

• ii–V–I

  The backbone of jazz. In E major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. F♯m7ii7
  2. B7sus4V7
  3. Emaj7Imaj7
  4. Emaj7Imaj7

• Blues opening

  The first four bars of a twelve-bar blues. In B major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. B7sus4I7sus4
  2. E7IV7
  3. B7sus4I7sus4
  4. B7sus4I7sus4

Where it goes next

Thinking in E major, where it is the V7 chord.

• Emaj7

  Imaj7. The strongest pull in music: tension resolving home.

• C♯m7

  vi7. The fake-out: you expect home, you get the relative minor.

Sounds close

• F♯m7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have E, F♯ and A.

• D

  Shares 2 of its notes. Both have F♯ and A.

• E

  Shares 2 of its notes. Both have B and E.

• Em

  Shares 2 of its notes. Both have B and E.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

• B minor pentatonic
• B mixolydian

Keys it lives in

• E majoras V7
• C♯ minoras VII7