The m7sus4 chord

Hi barret,
I like your book Chord-Tone Soloing,
In page 108 (track 69) at the beginning of the chorus you have a Dmi7sus chord.
How do you construct such chord?

Dmi7 has b3, but a suspended chord replaces the third. So, how do you build it?
Thank you,
Armando

Hi Armando,

The m7sus chord has the same notes as a dominant 7sus chord.

1 4 5 b7

For the Dm7sus chord on page 108, those notes are D G A and C. On the guitar I'd put the 4th an octave higher like this: D A C G.

The different chord name is there to provide a context for improvisation. In the progression

Cm/Eb Dm7sus

you would play a scale that includes the minor 3rd, F natural, not the F# that would be implied by D7sus4.

The book tells you to play C Dorian over the chord progression. That gives you D Phrygian over the Dm7sus chord. You would not want to play D Mixolydian.

Also, if you were playing rhythm guitar instead of soloing, you might want to play a riff or embellished chord figure instead of just strumming the chord as written. The m7sus chord symbol assures that your rhythm playing should not include F#, the major 3rd.

Barrett