the dominant 13 sus 4 chord

> Hi Barrett
>
> I just came across an interview you did, talking about
> showing paul gilbert
> some 13sus4 chords! cool stuff.
>
> I like to take chords and then learn them all over the
> neck..
>
> what formula should I use? should I drop any notes out?
>
> and mainly how would I use them in context?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Aaron

Hi Aaron,

I should correct you there. I did not "show Paul" 13sus4 chords! He knew how to play them when he came over, but wanted to talk about playing over them and how their compositional uses were explained in theory. Just being clear, he already knows a lot and has a great ear, but is constantly improving himself musically.

An A13sus4 chord may contain any or all of these pitches:

1 4 5 b7 9 13
A D E G B F#

You'd often leave out the 9th or 5th. Or leave out the root and let the bass player cover it.

Guitarists can voice it like this in 5th position with a 1st finger barre:
A E G D F# A

You'd first use this chord in the same place you'd use a dominant 7th chord in a major key, on degree V. In D major that V is A13sus4.

There are many other places dominant chords get used, as I'm sure you know. In the blues, the I, IV, and V are all dominant. All may be suspended and extended if you like the sound.

In any place where the triad of the intended functional target of a dominant chord is major, you can try a 13sus4. So in a D major tonality you can try an E13sus4 (V of V) along with the I and V.

Because the 4th is covering up the 3rd in the chord you can also just think of E13sus4 as Em13 with no 3rd, a substitute for Em7.

If you want to switch modes a little, you can use B13sus4 in the key of D major and switch to D Lydian in your melody when the chord occurs. You will get B Dorian over the B13sus4 chord.

The rule for use of dominants also applies to minor keys, so in the key of B minor you can try E13sus4: V of VII, A13sus4: V of III, and D13sus4: V of VI (though you'll have to switch to B Phrygian in the melody because of the C note here).

In nontraditional composition, 13sus4 chords can be used to create parallel harmony phrases. Think of the top note as a member of a pentatonic scale and slide the whole chord around, creating a simple melodic riff with the top note.

Those are the main applications; there are probably lots more.

Thanks for writing, and with your permission I'd like to send you links to mp3s from my latest record. Feel free to share with friends.

Barrett