Play Csus43 shapes
Choose a root note
12 diagrams · 12 playable
Play C#sus43 shapes
Play Dsus43 shapes
Play D#sus43 shapes
Play Esus43 shapes
Play Fsus43 shapes
Play F#sus43 shapes
Play Gsus43 shapes
Play G#sus43 shapes
Play Asus43 shapes
Play A#sus43 shapes
Play Bsus43 shapes
Anatomy
Sus4 Chord Formula
The 3 scale degrees that form every sus4 chord — in any key.
I
Root0 st
IV
Perfect 4th+5 st
V
Perfect 5th+7 st
A sus4 chord is a major (or minor) triad with the 3rd removed and replaced by the 4th. "Sus" is short for suspended — the 3rd that normally decides whether a chord sounds happy (major) or sad (minor) is suspended, so a sus4 sounds neither. With the 3rd gone and the 4th sitting a half step above where the major 3rd would be, the chord takes on a tense, unresolved quality that pulls strongly back down to the plain major chord.
Applied to C: C (root) – F (perfect 4th) – G (perfect 5th). Applied to D: D – G – A. Applied to A: A – D – E.
About this tool
About Sus4 Chords on Guitar
The suspended 4th chord — written "sus4" — is a three-note chord built from the root, the perfect 4th, and the perfect 5th (formula 1 – 4 – 5). Because it has no 3rd, it is neither major nor minor: the 4th creates tension that wants to resolve back down to the 3rd of the major chord. Sus4 chords are everywhere in folk, rock, and pop guitar, where the open Dsus4, Asus4, and Esus4 shapes add a moment of suspense before landing on the home chord. The classic move is to hammer between a major chord and its sus4 — the open Dsus4 → D figure is one of the most recognisable sounds in acoustic guitar. Every sus4 here is fully moveable as an E-shape or A-shape barre, so once you know one shape you can play all 12.
- 01Built from 3 notes: root, perfect 4th, perfect 5th (formula 1 – 4 – 5)
- 02No 3rd — neither major nor minor, so it sounds tense and unresolved
- 03Open Dsus4 (xx0233), Asus4 (x02230), and Esus4 (022200) are folk and rock staples
- 04Resolves strongly back to the plain major chord of the same root
- 05The E-shape and A-shape barre forms are fully moveable to all 12 roots
- 06Written with "sus4" after the root letter: Csus4, Dsus4, Asus4
- 07Distinct from sus2 (1 – 2 – 5, which suspends down to the 2nd) and add9 (a full major triad with the 9th added on top)
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
A sus4 (suspended 4th) chord is a three-note chord made of the root, the perfect 4th, and the perfect 5th. For example, Csus4 contains C, F, and G. It has no 3rd, so it sounds neither major nor minor — just tense and unresolved until it lands on the major chord.
A sus2 chord replaces the 3rd with the 2nd (formula 1 – 2 – 5), while a sus4 chord replaces the 3rd with the 4th (formula 1 – 4 – 5). Sus2 sounds open and airy; sus4 sounds tense and wants to resolve down to the major chord. Interestingly, a sus4 chord is the same set of notes as the sus2 chord built on its 4th.
There are 12 sus4 chords — one for each note in the chromatic scale: Csus4, C#sus4/Dbsus4, Dsus4, D#sus4/Ebsus4, Esus4, Fsus4, F#sus4/Gbsus4, Gsus4, G#sus4/Absus4, Asus4, A#sus4/Bbsus4, and Bsus4.
Because a sus4 chord has no 3rd, the interval that normally tells your ear whether a chord is happy (major) or sad (minor) is missing. The perfect 4th sits a half step above where the major 3rd would be, creating tension that pulls strongly back down to the major chord — which is why sus4 is so often heard resolving to the plain major.
The sus4 formula is 1 – 4 – 5: root, perfect fourth, and perfect fifth. Applied to C that is C (1), F (4), and G (5).
The open Dsus4 (xx0233) is the best-known sus4 on guitar. Lifting your pinky on and off the high e string between D and Dsus4 is one of the most recognisable acoustic guitar flourishes, used in countless folk and rock songs.
All Chord Types
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