C♯ sus4 chordC♯sus4

Built from

• C♯root
• F♯4th
• G♯5th

The 4th pushes against where the 3rd wants to be. Drop it one fret and the chord resolves to major.

Hear it in a progression

• The pop progression

  Behind countless hits. Hopeful, then bittersweet. In D♭ major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. D♭sus4I
  2. A♭V
  3. B♭mvi
  4. G♭IV

• Three-chord song

  Folk, rock and roll, campfire. In D♭ major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. D♭sus4I
  2. G♭IV
  3. A♭V
  4. D♭sus4I

• Doo-wop

  Fifties ballad, sweet and nostalgic. In D♭ major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. D♭sus4I
  2. B♭mvi
  3. G♭IV
  4. A♭V

Where it goes next

Thinking in D♭ major, where it is the I chord.

• G♭

  IV. Lifts away from home without leaving it.

• A♭

  V. Builds tension that wants to come back.

• B♭m

  vi. Same key, sadder colour: the relative minor.

• E♭m

  ii. A gentle step up that sets up the V chord.

Sounds close

• F♯

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

• F♯m

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

• Dmaj7

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

• D♯m7

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

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

• D♭ major

Keys it lives in

• D♭ majoras I
• F♯ majoras V
• A♭ majoras IV
• F minoras VI
• B♭ minoras III
• E♭ minoras VII