13.6: Suspensions
- Page ID
- 258555
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)The suspension is abbreviated with lowercase letters "sus" and put in parenthesis: (sus). It is also marked with two arabic numerals. The first indicates the intervallic distance between the suspended note and the bass note, and the second indicates the intervallic distance between the resolution and the bass note.
Key Features
- Suspensions have three distinct parts: the preparation, the suspension, and the resolution
- The note that is considered to be the preparation belongs to the chord where we find it. It is fully a chord tone. We might think of this as the anchor point of the beginning of a suspension bridge.
- The note that belonged to the first chord is held into a chord change where it doesn't belong. This is the tone that is suspended and is the non-chord tone that creates a dissonance. Sometimes this is tied to the preparation note, but not always.
- The note that was suspended resolves by going down a step. This is our resolution. The note that is the resolution belongs to the chord.
Alteration
A retardation is a suspension that resolves up a step instead of down a step. These are often found near cadences.
Examples
Suspensions are numbered by the intervallic distance between the bass note and the more dissonant suspended note, and then the same bass note and the more consonant resolution. In this example, we see three different types of suspensions.
In the first measure, the first chord is the minor six chord in the first inversion (vi6). In the key of D major, this is a B minor chord and is made up of: B, D, and F-sharp. The B in the soprano voice is preparing to be suspended into our next chord. The place where the suspension is occurring is on beat three of this measure. The chord changes to the first inversion dominant chord (V6) and is made up of: A, C-sharp, and E. B does not belong to this chord, and yet we see it being carried over from the previous chord. The soprano note resolves by coming down a step to the A. This is the resolution of our suspension, and the A belongs to the chord. Our ear registers the temporary dissonance and then the satisfying resolution that indicates a suspension. The distance between the bass note, C-sharp, and the suspended note, B, is a seventh. The distance between the bass note, C-sharp, and the resolution note, A, is a sixth. This is a 7-6 suspension.
In the second measure, the first chord is a root position tonic chord. This is a D major chord and is made up of: D, F-sharp, and A. In this example, our suspension will be happening in the alto voice and the A is preparing to be suspended into our next chord. Again, the place where the suspension is occurring is on beat three of this measure. The chord changes to the minor two supertonic in first inversion (ii6) and is made up of: E, G, and B. A does not belong to this chord, but it is being held from the previous chord and suspended into this new chord. The alto note resolves by coming down a step to G, a note that does belong in the chord. The distance between the bass note, G, and the A that is being suspended is a ninth. When the resolution happens, the distance between the bass note G and the G resolution is an eighth. This is a 9-8 suspension.
In the third measure, our first chord is a root position dominant seventh (V7). This is an A major-minor seventh and is made up of: A, C-sharp, E, and G. Again, our suspension will be happening in the alto voice and the suspension is occurring on beat three of the measure. The G is preparing to be suspended into our next chord. The chord changes to our root position tonic and is made up of: D, F-sharp, and A. G does not belong to this chord. It is being held and suspended into the D chord, and then resolves by stepping down to the F-sharp, a note that does belong to the chord. The distance between the bass note, D, and the suspended note, G, is a fourth. The distance between the bass note, D, and the resolution note, F-sharp, is a third. This is a 4-3 suspension.
Attribution: Bridge image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay