A 13sus4 (A13sus4)

Download MIDI
1+4+5+b7+9+13
ADEGBF#
4 4

Notes in A 13sus4

A (root)DEGBF#

Inversions

Same notes as A 13sus4, with a different chord tone as the lowest note. Useful for smoother movement between chords instead of jumping around the keyboard.

Root position

A in the bass

ADEGBF#

1st inversion

D in the bass (A13sus4/D)

DEGBAF#

2nd inversion

E in the bass (A13sus4/E)

EGBADF#

3rd inversion

G in the bass (A13sus4/G)

GBADEF#

4th inversion

B in the bass (A13sus4/B)

BADEGF#

5th inversion

F# in the bass (A13sus4/F#)

ADEGBF#

Open voicings

A close-position chord like A 13sus4 can sound cluttered in the middle of the keyboard. Jazz players open it up by dropping one note down an octave, spreading the same notes wider without changing the chord.

Drop 2

A on the bottom

ABDEGF#

Drop 3

G on the bottom

GADEBF#

Press A, D, E, G, B and F# together on the keyboard and you're playing A 13sus4.

A 9sus4 stretched up to the thirteenth. Gospel, funk and fusion players use it for vamps that sit on one chord a long time, since the stack of fourth, ninth and thirteenth keeps things interesting without ever settling into major or minor.

Difficulty: Advanced. Category: Extended chords. Click any highlighted key on the diagram above, or tab to it and press Enter, to hear that single note. Inversions mark the bass note with a contrasting outline.