What is a Suspension (Counterpoint)?

A suspension in counterpoint is a type of dissonance that occurs when a note from one chord is held over into the next chord, creating a temporary clash with the new harmony before resolving to a consonant note.

Suspensions usually follow a three-part process: preparation, suspension, and resolution. In the preparation, the note is consonant with the harmony. In the suspension, the note is held while the harmony changes, creating a dissonant interval. In the resolution, the suspended note typically moves downward by step to a consonant interval.

Suspensions are common in Renaissance and Baroque counterpoint, where they create expressive tension and release between voices. Typical suspension patterns include 4–3, 7–6, and 9–8 suspensions, named for the intervals formed above the bass before resolving.