Suspensions (Figured Bass)

Suspensions

The only suspension figure that might appear in Question 1 is the 4-3 [1].

The figure 4-3 shows a suspension of a 4th within a root position chord. The dissonant 4^th resolves downwards to the consonant 3^rd.

Usually, the 4 and 3 in the figure are separated with a dash, but not always. The presence of a dash does not make any difference to how the 4-3 figure is realised.

Suspension figures are often found under a single bass note:

We need to write a root position chord of G major, but instead of writing the 3^rd (B), we write the 4^th (C) above the figure 4. This note then moves to the 3^rd (B) above the figure 3. The C is the dissonant suspended note, and the B is its consonant resolution.

Here are two possible ways the chords could be realised:

Sometimes the bass note may leap by an octave at the same time as the resolution:

When you are realising a figured bass, it is essential to remember that the suspension note (the 4^th) needs to be prepared in the previous chord. This means the same note needs to appear in the same part.

In this case, the suspension note (4) is C and its resolution is B. We need to prepare the C by including it within the previous F major chord, in the same part.

Here are two ways to realise this bass. The first example places the preparation, suspension and resolution notes in the soprano part, the second example places them in the tenor. In the grade 7 question you will not see the tenor part written out, but you need to be aware of what might be written there. (Pencil notes in if necessary!)

Sometimes a suspension might occur in addition to melodic decoration in the bass line. In this example, the figure 4 tells us to suspend the 4^th (Ab) within an Eb major root position chord, and resolve the suspension to the 3^rd (G) on the 4^th beat of the bar. The Bb quaver (8^th note) in the bass line is an auxiliary harmony note.

Here is a possible melody line, including the suspension:

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[1] 4-3 suspensions were seen in the 2014 exam paper, for example. No 7-6 or 9-8 suspensions have been seen recently.