G7sus4 Chord

The G7sus4 chord is a dominant seventh suspended fourth chord built on the root note G. Its notes are G, C, D and F.

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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G7sus4 on piano

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Piano diagram of the G7sus4 chordGCDFG7sus4 - G · C · D · F

To play G7sus4 on piano, place your right-hand thumb on G, then index, middle and little finger on C, D and F. 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.

G7sus4 on guitar

Show:
Guitar chord diagram of the G7sus4 chord2211EADGBeG7sus4
Intermediate
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Open

On guitar, G7sus4 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

G7sus4
G · C · D · F

G7sus4 chord notes

Formula: 1 · 4 · 5 · ♭7Notes: G · C · D · F
DegreeIntervalSemitonesNote
1Root0G
4Perfect fourth5C
5Perfect fifth7D
♭7Minor seventh10F

How to use the G7sus4 chord

The G7sus4 chord is built from a root, a perfect fourth, a perfect fifth and a minor seventh. Starting from the root G, stack the intervals to get the complete chord: G, C, D and F. 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 G7sus4 chord works beautifully in these progressions. Click a chord name to jump to its page.

Pop progression
I → V → vi → IV

Once you are comfortable with G7sus4, explore neighbouring chords to unlock new progressions. The chords below share notes, keys or functions with G7sus4 and are a natural next step in your practice.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the G7sus4 chord?
The G7sus4 chord contains G, C, D and F.
Is the G7sus4 chord major or minor?
G7sus4 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 G7sus4 on piano?
Place your fingers on G, C, D and F 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 G7sus4 on guitar?
G7sus4 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 G7sus4?
G7sus4 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 G7sus4 chord with our other music theory tools.