Suspensions are a great way to get more out of any chords you know.

This series of Suspensions focus pages explains suspensions, gives you plenty of practice finding and using them, and hosts the lesson notes for the various Musicarta suspensions videos.

The suspension riffs on these pages are 'generic' and demonstrate a well-known aspect of music theory. Any resemblance to any recorded music is 'entirely accidental'

A Practice Suspensions Riff

This video sprang directly from a demonstration in a lesson.

Don't be put off by the MOR pop feel - plenty of darker material is built on exactly the same principles. 

There are five parts:

1. The riff - demonstration performance.
2. Finding the chords.
3. The suspensions.
4. The bass notes.
5. The syncopation.

Watch the performance several times so that you know what you're aiming at.

Learn each part (2. on) thoroughly before you go on.

Here is the chord sequence is:

Here are some spin-off exercises.

Don't give up if you can't 'get' the keyboard riffs exactly as played. Settle for an approximation!

You might not want to perfect the solo keyboard style demonstrated. The point is to absorb some 'theory that works' and use it creatively in your keyboard explorations.

Suspensions Exercise No.1

Another generic, but mainly 4-3s. This is raw footage - your 'by ear' challenge.

Here's the chord sequence:

Some of the chords are 'fattened up' - the A minor and D chords both get sevenths. Note the technique for getting the seventh into the A minor chord - you play both (notes) G and A with the side of your thumb.

The melody voice (tune) is inside the right hand chord half the time. Seasoned pianists 'bring out the melody' (make this melody voice stand out from the surrounding notes) just by thinking about it - thinking importance into it. Quite literally true - try it and see.

Click through here to go on to Suspensions Page Two.