23.1 · The Other Chords

Hold the third

A chord's third decides bright or dark. The suspensions and the power chord have no third, so they decide nothing.

Take the third away

C major, then 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.

52CFG7leaning. Aches to resolve down
25CDG7open, chiming, neither bright nor dark
75CGC12neither major nor minor, just loud

With no third, a power chord stays clean under heavy distortion. That's why rock plays it everywhere.

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.

Game · Where's the third?

1 / 6

C and G stay the same; only the middle note changes. Is the third there, and if not, what replaced it?

Listen first. Then answer.

Quiz

1 / 3

Why do sus chords sound neither major nor minor?

Score 100% on every quiz and game to complete this lesson. A perfect run sticks: a later miss never undoes it.6, m6 & add9 →