Comments on: The Phrygian Susb9 Chord

By: Owain

Owain — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:31:36 +0000

Hi Danny.

The chord is called susb9 because it’s a sus chord with a b9. The lack of major or minor third makes it a suspended chord and the added flat 9 outlines the dark sound of the phyrgian mode. Technically it’s just called a susb9.

It would be called a susb9 in whatever situation even if used as a V chord although I would “think” of it as a V7b9 chord to make things easier when soloing.

Hope that helps Danny.

By: Danny

Danny — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:27:15 +0000

Thank you for your help Owain. I’ll be sure to keep the questions coming as I tend to have quite a few.

Why exactly is it called a Phrygian susb9 and would it still be called that if played as a V chord? I understand that the Phrygian mode correlates to the third degree of the scale and that it’s distinguishing interval is the b9, but I’m just wondering how all the dots connect when it is used in different situations. Thanks again.

By: Owain

Owain — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:07:35 +0000

Yeah you can indeed use it as a 5 chord. I would treat it kind of like a V7b9 chord and play harmonic minor mode 5 over it. (Phrygian dominant scale)

Feel free to ask any questions. Glad you like the site Danny.

By: Danny

Danny — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:14:47 +0000

Thank you very much. I’ll try that. I recently saw it on the V chord. Is that at all common? Sorry for all the questions. I’m just very excited about finding this site.

By: Owain

Owain — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:29:11 +0000

Hi Danny. I would typically use it as an interesting substitution for the III chord in a major scale. It really brings out the sound of the phrygian mode.

By: Danny

Danny — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:59:21 +0000

How exactly would you use this chord? I actually just learned a song that uses it a few days ago, but am unsure of exactly how it would function as a substitution.

By: Owain

Owain — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:05:24 +0000

Hi Mike. It is an wonderful chord and really brings out the dark sound of the phrygian mode. I believe the sus13b9 chord is a variation of this phrygian chord and you are not wrong to refer to it like that although I always refer to it as simply susb9. It is the ambiguous lack of a 3rd and that dark b9 interval that really give this chord it’s interesting sound.

By: Mike Griffin

Mike Griffin — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:45:39 +0000

A favorite of mine, but I had always taught it was called a Sus 13 -9, was that wrong?

By: Rahul Rajaram

Rahul Rajaram — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:12:47 +0000

Amazing new chord . Thanks for publishing it here.