C Sus4
Open PositionA low Csus4 (x-3-3-0-1-1): ring on the A string at fret 3 (C), pinky on the D string at fret 3 (F), G string open (G), index barring the B and high e strings at fret 1 (C and F). Mute the low E.
C Sus4
3rd Fret · A-Shape BarreMoveable A-shape sus4 rooted on C at the 3rd fret — index barres fret 3 from the A string up, ring and pinky add the 4th and 5th at fret 5, pinky reaches F on the B string at fret 6. Mute the low E. Slide this shape to play any sus4.
C Sus4
8th Fret · E-Shape BarreA fully moveable E-shape sus4 at the 8th fret — index barres all six strings at fret 8, ring and pinky add the 4th on the D and G strings at fret 10. Root C is on the low E string.
Hear the suspension
Play C major, then Csus4, then back to C. The F in Csus4 wants to fall to the E of C major — that pull is the whole point of a suspended chord.
No 3rd means no mood
Because Csus4 has no E (the 3rd), it sounds neither happy nor sad — just tense and unresolved until it lands on C.
Keep the open G ringing
In the open shape the G string stays open — arch your fingers so it sounds cleanly against the fretted notes.
Learn the moveable barre
The 8-8-10-10-8-8 E-shape is fully moveable: slide it up two frets for Dsus4 or down to fret 1 for Fsus4.
Mute the low E
The open and A-shape voicings start from the A string. Let the side of your index finger rest against the low E to keep it quiet.
About the Csus4 Chord on Guitar
The Csus4 chord is built from three notes: C (the root), F (the perfect 4th), and G (the perfect 5th). It is a C major triad with the 3rd suspended — the E is replaced by the F a half step above it. With no 3rd, Csus4 sounds tense and unresolved, which is why it is so often used as a colour right before resolving back to plain C major. This page covers three voicings, from a low open shape to a moveable A-shape barre and an E-shape barre up the neck. Every diagram is interactive and playable with acoustic guitar sound.
- 013 Csus4 chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Open voicing, moveable A-shape barre, and an E-shape barre
- 05Difficulty rating on every shape
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 3 notes that form the C Sus4 chord and their role in the major scale.
Every major chord follows this same formula — root, major third, perfect fifth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try x-3-3-0-1-1: ring and pinky on the A and D strings at fret 3, G string open, index across the B and high e strings at fret 1. Mute the low E and strum from the A string.
C major is C, E, and G. Csus4 swaps the E (3rd) for F (4th), giving C, F, and G. The 4th makes Csus4 sound tense until it resolves to C.
No. Csus4 replaces the 3rd with the 4th (C, F, G), while Csus2 replaces it with the 2nd (C, D, G). Sus4 sounds tense; sus2 sounds open and airy.
Csus4 resolves naturally to C major and pairs with G, F, Am, and Dm. Hammering between C and Csus4 is a classic acoustic move.