Amsus1 chord

[guitar_chick]

Can someone help me out? I'm trying to learn Mazzy Star's Fade Into You and I'm having trouble trying to look up the Amsus1 chord.

[guitar_chick]

I'd be much obliged if someone could help a girl out. I don't need to see the fret pattern. Just tell me what to fret and I'm totally good.

[guitar_chick]

When I google this all I got pulled up was Mazzy Star. I did find another forum where someone asked the same question, but a response said there is no such thing? and it must be a typo. Something about you can't suspend the root note, but I don't understand. Please help, I'm ready to jam.

[guitar_chick]

Ok, does anybody know the Amsus11 chord? After some research discovered this may be a typo. You can't sus the 3rd.

[guitar_chick]

I think Amsus4 may work. Thanks though. If anybody is knowledgable about chords I would appreciate your input though.

[Batchimp RG]

As far as I' aware there is no third in a suspended chord.Therefore it can't be a minor chord. Hence the name, suspended.

[guitar_chick]

Well, on this other guitar forum site, someone posed the same ? and someone suggested Amsus4. I found tab for David Gray's Sail Away with Me with the tab for the chord. My ear isn't the greatest, but it sounds like it works to me. I am learning something today about root notes and suspended, but I don't completely understand it. I haven't gotten that far along yet in my chord progression theory studies.

Thanks, though. What exactly is a suspended chord, Chimp?

[Batchimp RG]

Eg: the A sus2 in the classic position reads as follows: 1 (root), 5, 1, 2, 5

If there was a 3rd degree in there it would be a Db note which would give it a major sound. If you flatten that note again to C, the chord would be an Amin.

The fact that there is no 3rd degree in the suspended chord's voicing means that it can't be major nor minor - it's suspended. That's what I think anyway...

[guitar_chick]

Chimp,

I think I understand now a little bit. I have a book that discusses suspended 4th chords. The 4th (subdominant) replaces the 3rd (mediant) chord. I'm new to this theory so thanks for being patient with me. A kiss is being blown in your general direction.

[Batchimp RG]

The 4th just means the 4th note in the scale that makes up that chord.

If you play an Asus4 chord in the normal open position (at the 2nd fret) it means that you must fret/sound the 4th note...which is the D. If you didn't fret the D (the second string would just be open) it would be an Asus2.

The more advice I give, the more kisses I get? Keep the questions coming, then...

[guitar_chick]

Heeheehee

[Batchimp RG]

I've been thinking about this... the Asus11 is actually an Asus4 with the exception that the D (which is the 4) must be played an octave higher.

The 11th degree of any scale is an octave higher than the 4th.

Therefore you can't really play the Asus11 on guitar at the 2nd fret because ones's fingers are not long enough to reach a high D.

Also, I find that on alot printed music the chord charts and names are written from a pianists point of view so chord names will not necessarily be the chord the the guitarist is actually playing (given the fact that inversions differ alot on piano as opposed to your standard guitar chords - like mazzy star would play), if you know what I mean.

[tobe]

Originally Posted by Chimp

I've been thinking about this... the Asus11 is actually an Asus4 with the exception that the D (which is the 4) must be played an octave higher.

The 11th degree of any scale is an octave higher than the 4th.

Therefore you can't really play the Asus11 on guitar at the 2nd fret because ones's fingers are not long enough to reach a high D.

Also, I find that on alot printed music the chord charts and names are written from a pianists point of view so chord names will not necessarily be the chord the the guitarist is actually playing (given the fact that inversions differ alot on piano as opposed to your standard guitar chords - like mazzy star would play), if you know what I mean.

Actually you can. In that position that octave is on the 3rd fret on the B string. Which is an octave higher than the 4th, the open D string. Technically a suspended chord is not "suspended" its voicing is meant to lead to the tonic, sub dominat, or dominat chord in a particular key, when that particular chord, without the suspension often would not usually suggest that time of movement. In "classical" theory-please note the use of quotes-this is known as voice leading. In Jazz, "modern" theory its used to increase the color of the chord and to suggest more involved harmonic complexity. I used to be able tell you all sorts of junk on such subjects, but as with much I have learned over the years its just absorbed and I don't remember the why or the how...and in some cases if it did not really apply to my musical needs I just forgot it.. or might be all the beer since school Have a good one!

[southpaw_lefty]

Yeah, I agree w/ Chimp.

I think the "sus" reference is used when the third is replaced.

When the 3rd is included, "add" is used in the name (i.e. Am add 2, which is a beautiful chord by the way.)

This is how I understand it anyway.

[guitar_chick]

yeah, that makes sense; the song is capoed on the 2nd fret two which raises it a whole tone anyways