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B♭ 7th suspended 4th chord on ukulele (B♭7sus4)
Also called or written B♭7sus4, B♭ or B♭ Dominant 7th Suspended 4th
B♭ 7th suspended 4th contains B♭, E♭, F, and A♭. The default voicing requires a wide stretch across four frets, challenging for smaller hands.
How it is built
Formula 1, 4, 5, ♭7
- Root positionB♭–E♭–F–A♭B♭7sus410-10-11-11
- First inversionE♭–F–A♭–B♭B♭7sus4/E♭1-3-1-1
- Second inversionF–A♭–B♭–E♭B♭7sus4/F10-10-11-11
- Third inversionA♭–B♭–E♭–FB♭7sus4/A♭8-8-6-8
How do you play a B♭ 7th suspended 4th chord on ukulele?
B♭ 7th suspended 4th is played at the 6th fret as 8 8 6 8: middle finger on the G string at fret 8, ring finger on the C string at fret 8, index finger on the E string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 2 | E♭ (4) |
| 3 (C) | 8 | 3 | A♭ (♭7) |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 1 | B♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 8 | 4 | F (5) |
AdvancedThe pinky must reach fret 8 on the 1st string while the index holds fret 6 on the 2nd, requiring a wide stretch.
10th fret
B♭ 7th suspended 4th is played at the 10th fret as 10 10 11 11: index finger on the G string at fret 10, middle finger on the C string at fret 10, ring finger on the E string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 10 | 1 | F (5) |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 11 | 3 | E♭ (4) |
| 1 (A) | 11 | 4 | A♭ (♭7) |
B♭7sus4/E♭ inversion
B♭ 7th suspended 4th is played at the 1st fret as 1 3 1 1: index finger on the G string at fret 1, pinky finger on the C string at fret 3, middle finger on the E string at fret 1 and ring finger on the A string at fret 1.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 1 | 1 | A♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 4 | E♭ (4) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 2 | F (5) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
B♭ 7th suspended 4th is built from the formula 1, 4, 5, ♭7. The perfect 4th between B♭ and E♭ replaces the major 3rd, creating the suspended quality. Compare it to B♭ suspended 4th, which lacks the minor 7th A♭.
What goes wrong with B♭ 7th suspended 4th?
- The 2nd string buzzes because the index finger is too far from the fret.
- The 1st string is muted by the pinky collapsing onto it.
- The 4th string sounds dull because the middle finger is not pressing firmly.
When to use it
B♭ 7th suspended 4th works as the V chord in E♭ major progressions like E♭–A♭–B♭–E♭, the I–IV–V–I. It suits gospel, soul, and rock styles. Compare it to B♭ minor to hear the difference in color.
Changing to and from B♭ 7th suspended 4th
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 6th fret gives A♭ 7th suspended 4th.
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 7th fret gives A 7th suspended 4th.
Which voicing to use
The E♭ inversion places the 4th in the bass, giving a grounded sound. The A♭ inversion, with the 7th in the bass, is darker and less stable. Choose the E♭ inversion for a fuller voicing.
Other B♭ chords
Common questions
How is B♭ 7th suspended 4th written?
B♭ 7th suspended 4th is written B♭7sus4 or B♭. On a keyboard, use Bb7sus4. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between B♭7sus4 and B♭7?
B♭7sus4 replaces the major 3rd D with the perfect 4th E♭. This removes the leading tone and creates a suspended, unresolved sound.
Can B♭7sus4 be used in place of B♭7?
Yes, B♭7sus4 often substitutes for B♭7 in dominant contexts. The suspension delays the resolution to the tonic chord.