6 Comments

1. Joshua
   Posted February 9, 2010 at 3:51 pm | Permalink

   This chord is a Dsus2 as you are replacing the 3rd of the chord (F#) which gives the chord its major/minor sound with the 2nd (E). You don’t have to say omit 3 as it is understood in a suspended chord you are replacing a note with a note above it (or below it in this case). This is compared to the add9 chord where you keep the 3rd and add the 9 (which is the 2 an octave above).

2. Andy Chamberlain
   Posted February 10, 2010 at 1:41 pm | Permalink

   Thanks for picking this up. Tim initially posted this as an omit5 chord in error. There are two fifths in here so he did mean no 3rd – just probably had a sleepless night! We’ve now corrected the original post.

   As regards sus2 vs. add9 as a name it does slighty depend on your chord theology but as I understand it a sus2 would be the 1, 2 and 5, but the 2nd would have to be within the octave of where the bass note starts. (the same with a sus4 too) In this case the 2nd is added above the octave therefore denoting it to be an add9 instead.

3. Joshua
   Posted February 16, 2010 at 2:43 pm | Permalink

   Andy,

   You are absolutely right in reference to you comment above. It would be add9 omit 3.

4. statphoto@aol.com
   Posted February 18, 2010 at 7:52 pm | Permalink

   Thank you for clarifying the positions. Sometimes it helps to know exactly where to begin counting for the the 9ths and 13ths. And the tip about the 2 in the same octave as the bass note, I hadn’t heard before. Thank you for clarifying.

5. David Ball
   Posted July 12, 2010 at 3:38 am | Permalink

   I think a sus2 with a 2nd next to the bass note would be rather muddy – guitar or piano – ! I always use 2 if there’s no 7th. sus2 or add2 (if there’s a 3rd) 9 if there’s 7th, which in my case makes the add9 needed only in high placements.

6. David Ball
   Posted July 12, 2010 at 3:39 am | Permalink

   I think a sus2 with a 2nd next to the bass note would be rather muddy – guitar or piano – ! I always use 2 if there’s no 7th. sus2 or add2 (if there’s a 3rd) 9 if there’s 7th, which in my case makes the add9 needed only in high placements. I would notate the above chord as Dsus2

   david