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Piano chords

D 7sus4 (D7sus4) chord on piano

Looking for the D7sus4 chord on piano? It is a 7sus4 chord (a sus4 chord plus a minor seventh), made of four notes: D – G – A – C.

DGAC

Root position: D4 – G4 – A4 – C5

What the D7sus4 chord sounds like

A 7sus4 is a suspended dominant seventh: a fourth replaces the third. It is less tense than a plain 7 chord and popular in funk, jazz and modern pop.

Notes of the D7sus4 chord

DegreeNoteInterval from the root
1Droot
4Gperfect fourth (5 semitones)
5Aperfect fifth (7 semitones)
7Cminor seventh (10 semitones)

Root position and inversions

An inversion uses the same notes, with a different note at the bottom. When you change chords, choosing the nearest inversion keeps your hand almost still.

Root position

D4 – G4 – A4 – C5

1st inversion

G4 – A4 – C5 – D5

2nd inversion

A4 – C5 – D5 – G5

3rd inversion

C5 – D5 – G5 – A5

Which keys is it in?

The D7sus4 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

  • D minor: I7sus4 (tonic)
  • G major: V7sus4 (dominant)
  • G minor: V7sus4 (dominant)
  • A minor: IV7sus4 (subdominant)
  • B♭ major: III7sus4
  • F major: VI7sus4
  • C major: II7sus4
  • E minor: VII7sus4

Similar chords and substitutes

If D7sus4 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

  • A♭7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
  • F♯dim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
  • D7 – a simpler dominant
  • G – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

  • Dsus4 – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

  • D11 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the D7sus4 chord?

D, G, A, C. The root is D; the intervals of the other notes from the root: perfect fourth, perfect fifth, minor seventh.

How do I play the D7sus4 chord on piano?

In root position, the right hand usually plays with fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger, little finger); four-note chords with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5. The left hand mirrors this: 5, 3, 1. In an inversion the top or bottom note moves to the other side, so your hand moves less when you change chords.

How is the D7sus4 chord written?

The chord symbol is D7sus4, and its full name is D 7sus4.

Related chords

The same chord on another instrument:

D7sus4 on guitarD7sus4 on ukuleleD7sus4 on mandolinD7sus4 on banjo

Other D chords on piano:

DDmD7Dmaj7Dm7Dsus2Dsus4D6Dm6Dadd9DdimDaugDdim7Dm7b5D9Dm9Dmaj9D11D13

All piano chords in a table →

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Photos: Isak Photography, 42 North, Rachel Loughman, Vitaly Gariev, Vitaly Gariev, Isaac Martin / Unsplash