The best chords you're never taught (on ukulele)

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-03

[00:00:00]Hello. Hello. My name is Sammy aka Four String Boy and my full-time job is telling people about music and how to get better at it, especially on this little instrument here, the ukulele.

[00:00:08]Now, when we learn our chords, we usually learn them in the major and minor variant. For example, I bet you know how to play a D major, and I bet you know how to play a D minor. But there is a very important third member of the group who doesn't get taught that often, unfortunately, and that member is sus chords. Source chords are amazing because they're not major or minor. They kind of sit in a middle ground between the two. They're kind of moody and they just sit there and give you this wonderful sound. Even better is that a sus chord can replace both your major chord and your minor chord. So that means if I wanted to play D major, I could play Dsus 2. And if I wanted to play D minor, I could also play Dsus 2.

[00:00:49]Now, whilst chord substitution is a cool use of sus chords, the even better thing that they used for is adding a little melodic movement into your chords. For example, Katy Tontol song, Other Side of the World, the whole intro is based in a D major. So, if I strum that on a ukulele, it would sound like this, which is fine. But what Katie does instead is basically moves between a D major, a Dsus 2, and a Dsus4. Switching between those chords just gives us a little bit of movement in the melody.

[00:01:22]So, for example, it actually should sound like this.

[00:01:38]So, quick theory lesson just to explain what sus chords actually are and why there are two different variants, sus 2 and sus 4. The sus and sus chords is actually short for southern ukulele store. And that's because Alex Beds, the owner of the southern ukulele store, officially purchased these chords in 1993. Okay. The sus is actually short for suspended. They're suspended chords.

[00:01:59]And it's basically because major and minor chords have some clarity to them.

[00:02:04]They kind of sit, you know, and have a purpose. sus chords.

[00:02:10]There's no real clarity to a sus chord.

[00:02:12]It kind of just sits and it's a little bit tense. We don't know where it's going to go. So, a typical major chord is made from the first, third, and fifth notes of its major scale. For example, a C major scale is C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.

[00:02:27]And so, a C major chord is the notes C, E, and G. Now, a minor chord follows the same format, but it has to be from a minor scale. So for example, a C minor scale are the notes C, D, E flat, F, G, A flat, B flat, C. And if we take the first, third, and fifth notes, we get a C minor chord. So if we compare a major chord and a minor chord, it's only that middle note that is slightly different.

[00:02:54]And that's actually what gives our major and minor chords their flavors. Now, sus chords don't contain this flavorful third note. Instead, it either uses the second or the fourth note instead of the third. So, a sus 2 chord would be the first, second, and fifth notes from a scale. In C major, this would be C, D, and G, the first, second, and fifth notes of the scale. And in C minor, this would also be C, D, and G, the 1, 2, and five of that scale also. Hence why we can use a sus chord to replace either the major or the minor chord. It works in both keys. Now sus4 chord is the first, fourth and fifth notes from the scale. So again in C major that would be C, F and G. And if we look at C minor again it's also C, F and G. Occasionally people are lazy with sus4 chords and they'll just write it for example C sus.

[00:03:47]There won't be a number at the end.

[00:03:48]They're actually saying please play me a C sus4. Just something to look out for.

[00:03:53]If you're lacking music theory, but you want it taught to you in an easy to understandable way and something that's completely useful on the ukulele, then you should probably check out my online ukulele membership for string friends.

[00:04:03]There's a whole bank of music theory lessons that break down the most basic of music theory and how it all works on the ukulele, and most importantly, how it's useful to you as a ukulele player, how you can use it. There's a brand new lesson added every single month, and you're free to join me live on Zoom for that class. If not, you catch the recording later. We also have technique lessons, fingerstyle lessons, specific ukulele workshops, and all more included in the membership. Use the code new friend for a cheeky little discount at checkout and purchase the cheapest music lessons you can from a full-time call music teacher. Okay, so I'm going to teach you my most favorite and most friendly major minor to sus chord transitions on the ukulele. And if you like, you can grab the free PDF that's just in the pinned comment down below.

[00:04:44]And that will have all the chords in chord box format and tab. So you don't have to keep them up here or constantly listen to my stupid voice. Even though I'm showing you my favorite transitions, do remember that each sus chord can replace both the major and the minor chord. Some might just need a double check on the key that you're in.

[00:08:52]So, I hope you enjoyed your lesson on sus chords today. Even if you already knew all about them and could play them on the ukulele, I hope it there's at least a little bit of knowledge somewhere in this video that you can take away with you and is helpful. If you have enjoyed the video, I'd appreciate if you can like it and subscribe for more ukulele lessons. If you have any questions or comments, then please just attack me in the comments.

[00:09:11]I'm always happy to chat. Big love. Have a wonderful day.