A7sus4 Chord

The A7sus4 chord is a dominant seventh suspended fourth chord built on the root note A. Its notes are A, D, E and G.

Dominant seventh sus4 chords hold the tension of a dominant without committing to major or minor. The fourth hangs where the third would be, which is why they open so many gospel, soul and funk vamps.

Root

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A7sus4 on piano

Inversion:

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To play A7sus4 on piano, place your right-hand thumb on A, then index, middle and little finger on D, E and G. Press all keys at the same time and listen for a clear, balanced sound. Practice switching to and from this chord slowly, then with a metronome at a comfortable tempo.

A7sus4 on guitar

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Beginner

Open

On guitar, A7sus4 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. If the chord contains barred notes, keep your index finger flat across the fretboard and curve the other fingers so they don't mute the open strings. Strum only the strings marked as active in the diagram for the cleanest tone.

Play the chord

A7sus4

A · D · E · G

A7sus4 chord notes

Formula: 1 · 4 · 5 · ♭7Notes: A · D · E · G

Degree	Interval	Semitones	Note
1	Root	0	A
4	Perfect fourth	5	D
5	Perfect fifth	7	E
♭7	Minor seventh	10	G

How to use the A7sus4 chord

The A7sus4 chord is built from a root, a perfect fourth, a perfect fifth and a minor seventh. Starting from the root A, stack the intervals to get the complete chord: A, D, E and G. Learning the formula is the fastest way to transpose the chord to any other key.

Dominant seventh sus4 chords act as a V chord that delays its own resolution, often falling to a plain dominant seventh a beat later. Gospel, soul, funk and seventies rock use them constantly.

Common progressions

The A7sus4 chord works beautifully in these progressions. Click a chord name to jump to its page.

Pop progression

I → V → vi → IV

A E F♯m D

Once you are comfortable with A7sus4, explore neighbouring chords to unlock new progressions. The chords below share notes, keys or functions with A7sus4 and are a natural next step in your practice.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the A7sus4 chord?

The A7sus4 chord contains A, D, E and G.

Is the A7sus4 chord major or minor?

A7sus4 is a dominant seventh suspended fourth chord. Dominant seventh sus4 chords hold the tension of a dominant without committing to major or minor. The fourth hangs where the third would be, which is why they open so many gospel, soul and funk vamps.

How do you play A7sus4 on piano?

Place your fingers on A, D, E and G and play the notes together. On piano, the root is usually played with the little finger of the left hand and the upper notes with the right hand.

How do you play A7sus4 on guitar?

A7sus4 is typically played using the fingering shown in the interactive diagram above. You can also try an open position if one of the chord tones lines up with an open string.

What chords work well with A7sus4?

A7sus4 pairs naturally with the chords listed in the related chords section. Chords a perfect fifth up or down, relative major or minor chords, and chords sharing two notes are all strong choices.

Keep exploring

Deepen your understanding of the A7sus4 chord with our other music theory tools.

Browse all chords Explore scales Explore progressions Chord Transposer Chord Finder Try the Piano Open Circle of Fifths