Mixolydian Sus4 Chords On Guitar - Voice Leading - Lesson With Tabs

What is Voice Leading?

Voice leading is a fundamental concept in music theory, particularly in Western classical music and jazz, though it applies to various musical genres. It refers to the manner in which individual melodic lines move between different chords. 

You can accomplish this by either using the same note when transitioning between chords or by shifting the inner voices of the chord upward or downward by one step.

What's The Mixolydian Mode?

The Mixolydian mode is one of the seven diatonic modes derived from the major scale. It is often described as having a somewhat bluesy or rock-like quality due to the lowered seventh degree, which is a distinguishing feature of this mode.

The formula for constructing the Mixolydian mode is as follows: Tonic (1), second (2), major third (3), fourth (4), fifth (5), sixth (6) and minor seventh (b7)

For example, if we were to construct the G Mixolydian mode, we would start on the note G and follow the pattern described above, resulting in the following notes: G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G.

The lowered seventh degree (F in the case of G Mixolydian) is what distinguishes this mode from the major scale, which has a natural seventh (F# in the case of G major).

This lowered seventh creates a dominant seventh chord (e.g., G7 in the case of G Mixolydian) as the tonic chord, and it contributes to the mode's characteristic sound.

What Are Suspended Chords?

Suspended chords, also referred to as "sus chords," are a category of chords that create a sense of suspension or tension. The most common suspended chords are the suspended second (sus2) and suspended fourth (sus4) chords.

The main feature of suspended chords is that they don't have third in their structure, meaning that they are neither major nor minor.

Here's a basic explanation of suspended chords and their components (you will find shapes examples in the Chord Dictionary PDF) :

1. Suspended Second (sus2) Chord:
   - Root note (the base of the chord).
   - Major second (2nd).
   - Perfect fifth (5th).

   For example, a C major chord (C-E-G) can be turned into a Csus2 chord by replacing the third (E) with a D. The Csus2 chord would consist of the notes C-D-G.

2. Suspended Fourth (sus4) Chord:
   - Root note.
   - Perfect fourth (4th).
   - Perfect fifth (5th).

For instance, a C major chord (C-E-G) can be transformed into a Csus4 chord by replacing the third (E) with an F. The Csus4 chord would include the notes C-F-G.

You can add the seventh to those chords to get a 7sus2 or 7sus4 chord as it is the case in the following exercise.

Suspended chords create a sense of tension because the fourth and second intervals are considered dissonant when held on their own but can resolve harmonically to a more stable chord, typically a major or minor chord.

Mixolydian Sus4 Chords

The following chord sequence provides ten G7sus4 chord voicings built with notes of the G Mixolydian mode. Here are the interval formulas for each chord :

• F (b7) C (4) D (5) G (1)
• F (b7) C (4) E (13) G (1)
• F (b7) C (4) D (5) A (9)
• F (b7) C (4) E (13) A (9)
• G (1) D (5) F (b7) C (4)
• C (4) F (b7) G (1) D (5)
• C (4) F (b7) A (9) E (13)
• D (5) G (1) C (4) F (b7)
• D (5) A (9) C (4) F (b7)