You must first understand what makes up a major, and minor chord. It starts with the triad (three notes.) A major chord consists of the 1 (root), 3 (two whole steps above the root), and fifth (a whole step, and half step) up from the 3. You can also relate this to the major scale; the 1 being the first note, the 3 being the third, and the 5 being the fifth.
A minor chord is the same concept, only the 3 is flatted one half step to create the minor sound characteristic. You can also apply the same concept to the minor scale as I mentioned above.
From there, your suspensions can applied. Suspension, or sus, can also mean substitute honestly. For a sus2 chord, you are replacing the third of the chord with the second degree of the scale. You can also think of this as adding in a note a whole step up from the root. This is different then an add2 chord, which means you simply add it to the triad. When it's a sus2, it is neither major nor minor at that point.
Same applies for sus4; you are simply replacing the third with the fourth. In most cases you will move up a whole step from the third and play that note instead. There are cases where you can add the fourth to the triad; making it an add4 chord. This isn't as common though, but don't rule anything out.
Sus7 means you play a dominant 7th chord (1, 3, 5, b7,) but instead of playing the 3 you play the 4. So now it becomes 1, 4, 5, b7. This creates an interesting sound that helps resolve into another chord.
Make sense? :confused:
Douglas Showalter
