E seven sus4 chordE7sus4

Built from

• Eroot
• A4th
• B5th
• Dflat 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 A major.

  Capo and transpose

  1. Bm7ii7
  2. E7sus4V7
  3. Amaj7Imaj7
  4. Amaj7Imaj7

• Blues opening

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

  Capo and transpose

  1. E7sus4I7sus4
  2. A7IV7
  3. E7sus4I7sus4
  4. E7sus4I7sus4

Where it goes next

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

• Amaj7

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

• F♯m7

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

Sounds close

• Bm7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have A, B and D.

• D

  Shares 2 of its notes. Both have A and D.

• Dm

  Shares 2 of its notes. Both have A and D.

• G

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

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

• E minor pentatonic
• E mixolydian

Keys it lives in

• A majoras V7
• F♯ minoras VII7