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B♭9sus4

Character: gospel

  1. B♭Rtriad
  2. E♭4triad
  3. F5triad
  4. A♭♭7add
  5. C9add
Open B♭9sus4 in the chord libraryDownload the B♭9sus4 chart (PDF)
Voicings

4 ways to play B♭9sus4

Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.

  • Triad note
  • Substitute
  • Added
  • Anchored root
  • Bass
  • Doubling
CC shape 2nd inversion B♭9sus4/F
1 2 3 4 3 9 ♭7 4 R 5 5

Frets 1 1 1 1 1 1Notes F B♭ E♭ A♭ CIntervals 5 1 4 ♭7 9

The 4th takes the 3rd’s string. The ♭7th gets a string of its own. The 9th gets a string of its own.

GG shape Root position B♭9sus4
3 4 5 6 5 3 9 ♭7 4 R

Frets 6 6 6 5 x xNotes B♭ E♭ A♭ CIntervals 1 4 ♭7 9

The 4th takes the 3rd’s string. The ♭7th takes the 5th’s string. The 9th gets a string of its own.

EE shape Root position B♭9sus4
6 7 8 9 5 3 9 ♭7 4 R

Frets x x 8 8 9 8Notes B♭ E♭ A♭ CIntervals 1 4 ♭7 9

The 4th takes the 3rd’s string. The ♭7th takes the 5th’s string. The 9th gets a string of its own.

EE shape 2nd inversion B♭9sus4/F
6 7 8 9 3 9 ♭7 4 R 5

Frets x 8 8 8 9 8Notes F B♭ E♭ A♭ CIntervals 5 1 4 ♭7 9

The 4th takes the 3rd’s string. The ♭7th gets a string of its own. The 9th gets a string of its own.

The rules

The construction rules B♭9sus4 follows

  1. Start from a triad

    Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.

  2. A third on top makes a 7th chord

    A major 7th over a major triad is maj7, a ♭7 is a dominant 7. Over minor you get m7 or m(maj7); over diminished, m7♭5 or the °7, whose 7th is lowered twice.

  3. Keep stacking for extensions

    The 9th, 11th and 13th are the 2nd, 4th and 6th an octave up. Each one sits on the stack below it: a 9th chord holds a 7th, a 13th holds the 9th and 11th in theory.

  4. Sus chords replace the 3rd

    A 2nd or a 4th takes the 3rd’s place, so the chord is neither major nor minor and wants to resolve. 7sus4 keeps the ♭7 for a dominant without its 3rd.

  5. On guitar, something has to give

    Each extension takes the string of a triad note that matters less, usually the 5th, or gets a string of its own. The root and 3rd stay: they say what the chord is.

All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.

Dominant 9th suspended 4th in every key

More chords on B♭

B♭9sus4 chord questions

What notes are in B♭9sus4?

B♭9sus4 is spelled B♭ E♭ F A♭ C: B♭ is the root, E♭ is the 4th, F is the 5th, A♭ is the ♭7th, C is the 9th.

What is the formula of B♭9sus4?

1 4 5 ♭7 9. It is a B♭ sus4 triad with the ♭7th, 9th stacked on top.

How many ways can you play B♭9sus4 on guitar?

This page shows 4 voicings of B♭9sus4, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.