10 KImprovBk1 – Sus Chords I

Sus chords (eg., from bottom to top, C – F -G) omit the third of the chord and substitute a fourth.  They  have a broad application to both contemporary and traditional worship styles. They provide a colorful alternative to the standard dominant seventh which occurs frequently in hymn and chorus cadences. They are valuable in creating segues and in effecting modulations in the free-flowing praise format. They are eminently playable on both guitars and keyboards. We’ll look at how the sus4, sus7, and sus9 chords function.

20 Establishing the New Key – Modulation I KB Improvisation Bk1

To modulate means to change keys. When leading worship or performing in a Christian concert, there is often a need to modulate within pieces or to segue from one piece to another smoothly. This is especially true in contemporary worship where three to eight worship choruses/hymns may need to be connected in a seamless fashion.

This chapter stresses the basics: the importance of the V chord to propel songs into the new key, modulations involving various meters (4/4, 3/4, 6/8), walking the bass down or up, making entrances secure, and modulating within and between pieces.