C7sus4

C7sus4 is C, F, G and Bb, a dominant seventh suspended fourth. The shape this page opens on is written x33311, lowest string first.

Also written C7sus or C dominant 7 sus 4. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 7 common shapes for C7sus4 on the guitar, and 33 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of C7sus4 belongs to C minor (the i), D minor (the ♭VII), Eb major (the vi), F major (the V), F minor (the v), G minor (the iv), Ab major (the iii) and Bb major (the ii).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x33311, x35363, xxx566, xx5566, 8-10-8-10-8-8, x-x-10-12-11-13, x-15-15-15-13-13.

Shell. Root, third and seventh: the guide tones fix the quality, so the fifth is dropped. That is what leaves a string free, so pick a tension to put on top. C7sus4 has x333xx, 888xxx, x-15-15-15-x-x, x3x36x, 8-x-8-10-x-x, 8x33xx, x-15-x-10-11-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. C7sus4 has x1301x, xx3313, 3333xx, xx5566, x-x-8-10-8-8, 8-10-8-10-x-x, x-10-10-10-11-x, x-x-15-15-13-15.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. C7sus4 has 3x331x, x1x011, x3x363, x8x586, 6x556x, x-10-x-10-11-8, 8-x-8-10-8-x, 13-x-10-12-11-x.

Open string. An open string left ringing against a fretted grip. Because it costs no finger, it sounds a note the closed shape has none left for -- a tension on top, or a pedal root underneath. Either a familiar grip with open strings added, or a shape so sparse the open strings carry the chord. These belong to their key rather than to a shape, so D, A, G and E have many and Eb a handful. C7sus4 has 6x006x.

Tensions. A shell of C7sus4, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 9 (D) and the 13 (A).

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.