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E♭ 7th suspended 4th chord on bass (E♭7sus4)
Also called or written E♭7sus4, E♭ or E♭ Dominant 7th Suspended 4th
E♭ 7th suspended 4th contains E♭, A♭, B♭ and D♭. The 11th fret shape demands a wide stretch across all four strings.
How it is built
Formula 1, 4, 5, ♭7
- Root positionE♭–A♭–B♭–D♭E♭7sus411-13-11-13
- First inversionA♭–B♭–D♭–E♭E♭7sus4/A♭no shape on this instrument
- Second inversionB♭–D♭–E♭–A♭E♭7sus4/B♭6-6-6-6
- Third inversionD♭–E♭–A♭–B♭E♭7sus4/D♭no shape on this instrument
How do you play an E♭ 7th suspended 4th chord on bass?
E♭ 7th suspended 4th is played at the 11th fret as 11 13 11 13: index finger on the E string at fret 11, ring finger on the A string at fret 13, middle finger on the D string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 13.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 11 | 1 | E♭ (1) |
| 3 (A) | 13 | 3 | B♭ (5) |
| 2 (D) | 11 | 2 | D♭ (♭7) |
| 1 (G) | 13 | 4 | A♭ (4) |
AdvancedThe two-fret stretch between index and ring fingers on adjacent strings is demanding at the 11th fret.
E♭7sus4/B♭ inversion
E♭ 7th suspended 4th is played at the 6th fret as 6 6 6 6: barre your index finger across fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 6 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (5) |
| 3 (A) | 6 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (D) | 6 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (4) |
| 1 (G) | 6 | 1 (barre) | D♭ (♭7) |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ 7th suspended 4th is built from the formula 1, 4, 5, ♭7. The perfect 4th between E♭ and A♭ suspends the chord. Compare it with E♭ suspended 4th, which omits the minor 7th.
What goes wrong with E♭ 7th suspended 4th?
- Letting the ring finger flatten onto the 2nd string, dulling the D.
- Pressing the pinky too hard, which can bend the 1st string out of tune.
When to use it
E♭ 7th suspended 4th works as the V chord in A♭ major, in progressions like A♭ major–D♭ major–E♭ major–A♭ major (I–IV–V–I). It suits rock and blues lines that need a suspended dominant. Compare E♭ minor for a darker alternative.
Changing to and from E♭ 7th suspended 4th
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 9th fret gives C♯ 7th suspended 4th.
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 10th fret gives D 7th suspended 4th.
Which voicing to use
The 11th fret position keeps E♭ in the bass for a root-position sound. The barre inversion at the 6th fret puts B♭ in the bass, creating a second-inversion feel.
Other E♭ chords
Common questions
How is E♭7sus4 written in ASCII?
E♭7sus4 is written as Eb7sus4 in ASCII. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between E♭7sus4 and E♭7?
E♭7sus4 replaces the major third (G) with a perfect fourth (A♭). E♭7 contains G, giving it a stronger pull to A♭ major.
Can E♭7sus4 be used in a minor key?
Yes, E♭7sus4 fits E♭ natural minor as a dominant chord. It also appears in A♭ natural minor and B♭ natural minor progressions.