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17.1 · The Other Chords

Hold the third

Everything a chord feels comes from its third: 4 half steps up means bright, 3 means dark. So what happens if the third just… isn't there? You get chords that refuse to pick a mood: the suspensions and the power chord.

Take the third away

C major, C minor. Then a chord with no third at all. Hear the mood switch off.

The three thirdless chords

sus4 pushes the third up to the 4th; sus2 drops it to the 2nd; the power chord throws it out entirely.

leaning. Aches to resolve down
open, chiming, neither bright nor dark
neither major nor minor, just loud

The power chord is rock's workhorse precisely because it commits to nothing. Distortion fills in the rest.

The classic move: hold, then let go

'Suspended' is literal: the 4th hangs above where the third belongs, then falls home. Pop and gospel lean on this constantly.

Quiz

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Why do sus chords sound neither major nor minor?

Score 100% on every quiz and game to complete this lesson.The sweeteners →