If <i>E</i> is an exterior algebra on a finite dimensional vector space and <i>M</i> is a graded <i>E</i>-module, the relationship between the resonance varieties of <i>M</i> and the minimal free resolution of <i>M </i>is studied. In the context of Orlik–Solomon algebras, we give a condition under which elements of the second resonance variety can be obtained. We show that the resonance varieties of a general <i>M</i> are invariant under taking syzygy modules up to a shift. As corollary, it is shown that certain points in the resonance varieties of <i>M</i> can be determined from minimal syzygies of a special form, and we define syzygetic resonance varieties to be the subvarieties consisting of such points. The (depth one) syzygetic resonance varieties of a square-free module <i>M</i> over <i>E</i> are shown to be subspace arrangements whose components correspond to graded shifts in the minimal free resolution of <i>_SM</i>, the square-free module over a commutative polynomial ring <i>S </i>corresponding to <i>M</i>. Using this, a lower bound for the graded Betti numbers of the square-free module<i> M</i> is given. As another application, it is shown that the minimality of certain syzygies of Orlik–Solomon algebras yield linear subspaces of their (syzygetic) resonance varieties and lower bounds for their graded Betti numbers.