Piano chord
F7sus4F seventh suspended fourth
- F1
- B♭4
- C5
- E♭♭7
- Notes
- 4
- Positions
- 4
- Span
- 10semitones
- Fingers
- 1-3-4-5
How to play F7sus4 on piano
- Find F: it is the root and the lowest note of the chord in root position.
- Right hand: 1 on F, 3 on B♭, 4 on C, 5 on E♭.
- Or with the left hand: 5 on F, 3 on B♭, 2 on C, 1 on E♭.
- Press the keys together, with curved fingers and a loose wrist, and let them ring.
Root position · F – B♭ – C – E♭
1st inversion · B♭ – C – E♭ – F
2nd inversion · C – E♭ – F – B♭
3rd inversion · E♭ – F – B♭ – C
Numbers on the keys are fingers: 1 thumb, 2 index, 3 middle, 4 ring, 5 little finger.
F7sus4 inversions
Use these 4 positions to move between chords with as little hand movement as possible. Root position starts on F; the inversions start on the other notes of the chord.
- Root positionbass: FRight hand 1-3-4-5 · Left hand 5-3-2-1
- 1st inversionbass: B♭Right hand 1-2-4-5 · Left hand 5-4-2-1
- 2nd inversionbass: CRight hand 1-2-3-5 · Left hand 5-4-3-1
- 3rd inversionbass: E♭Right hand 1-2-4-5 · Left hand 5-4-2-1
F7sus4 with two hands
A full sound: the left hand plays F an octave lower, the right hand plays F–B♭–C–E♭.
F7sus4 on other instruments
About the F7sus4 chord
To build F seventh suspended fourth, take these 4 notes from the root up: F (1), B♭ (4), C (5), E♭ (♭7). A seventh with a suspended fourth: the dominant seventh without its third, the fourth in its place. Used before the plain seventh chord or as a softer dominant.
On the keyboard, start from F and add the other notes above it: F – B♭ – C – E♭. From the lowest to the highest key that is 10 semitones. That is less than an octave, so F7sus4 sits comfortably under one hand.
Each inversion of F7sus4 puts a different note in the bass. In the 1st inversion the bass is B♭ (B♭–C–E♭–F). In the 2nd inversion the bass is C (C–E♭–F–B♭). In the 3rd inversion the bass is E♭ (E♭–F–B♭–C).
Compared with Fsus4, F7sus4 has one more note, E♭.
Questions
What notes are in the F7sus4 chord?
F7sus4 (F seventh suspended fourth) has 4 notes: F (1), B♭ (4), C (5), E♭ (♭7).
How many inversions does F7sus4 have?
F7sus4 can be played in 4 positions: Root position (F–B♭–C–E♭); 1st inversion (B♭–C–E♭–F); 2nd inversion (C–E♭–F–B♭); 3rd inversion (E♭–F–B♭–C).
What is the difference between F7sus4 and Fsus4?
Compared with Fsus4, F7sus4 has one more note, E♭.
Can I play F7sus4 with one hand?
Yes. In root position F7sus4 spans 10 semitones, less than an octave, so one hand holds it easily.