G7sus4 Chord on Guitar
G7sus4 = G – C – D – F (Root, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Minor 7th)
G7sus4 combines the suspended fourth's forward lean with the dominant seventh's pull toward resolution, and like F#7sus4 one fret down, the resulting shape is sparse — only two fret positions across all six strings.
G-C-D-F: root, perfect fourth, fifth, and minor seventh, with the root doubled at both ends of the barre and no third present at all. Without a third the chord doesn't commit to major or minor, but it keeps the dominant seventh's forward pull toward C major, which is why 7sus4 chords are such a common cadential device in gospel and rock: the resolution is suspended one beat longer, heightening the eventual release into either G7 itself or straight into the tonic.
Fingerings
Barre (3rd fret)
How to Practice It
Because this shape uses only two fret positions, it's one of the easier extended barres to fret cleanly — get the barre solid first, then add the single additional finger for the fourth without disturbing it. Practice the classic move from G7sus4 into G7 by lowering that one finger a half step, the exact suspend-and-release gesture that gives this chord its musical purpose.
Common Progressions
- G7sus4 – G7 – C (V7sus4 – V7 – I, the classic gospel/rock cadential move)
- C – G7sus4 – G7 – C (I – V7sus4 – V7 – I)
- G7sus4 – C (a direct suspended resolution straight to the tonic, skipping the plain dominant)
- F – G7sus4 – G7 – C (IV – V7sus4 – V7 – I, a fuller cadential run)
FAQ
- What's missing from G7sus4 compared to G7?
- The third is gone, replaced by the perfect fourth, so the chord keeps the dominant seventh's forward pull toward C major but loses the note that would otherwise mark it clearly as major.
- How does G7sus4 typically resolve?
- Most often down to G7 first, by lowering the fourth a half step to the third, and then on to C major — a two-stage resolution that's a staple of gospel and rock cadences.
- Is G7sus4 easy to fret?
- Yes — it only uses two distinct fret positions across the whole shape, making it one of the more approachable extended barres in this family.
- What does holding off the third for a beat actually accomplish here?
- It stretches out the wait for the cadence's payoff — a plain V–I resolves the moment the dominant chord sounds, while suspending the third first makes the ear anticipate that resolution before it finally arrives.
- Can G7sus4 resolve directly to C major without passing through G7 first?
- Yes — some cadences skip the intermediate dominant-seventh step entirely and move straight from the suspended chord to the tonic, a slightly less common but still frequently heard variation.
Related: how chords are built, chord finder.