My Chord Finder
Dsus2
D3 (1) · A3 (5) · D4 (1) · E4 (2)
D sus2 guitar chord
Dsus2 is D, E and A — degrees 1, 2 and 5. D major is D, F# and A, so the third F# steps down a whole step to E.
Dsus2
D3 (1) · E3 (2) · A3 (5) · D4 (1) · E4 (2)
Dsus2
D3 (1) · E3 (2) · A3 (5) · E4 (2) · A4 (5)
Dsus2 is D, E, A (1, 2, 5). D major is D, F#, A: the third F# is replaced by the second E. On the fretboard the third moves down a whole step, F# to E.
× mute · ○ open · green root · terracotta other chord tones
Numbers show a suggested finger: 1 index · 2 middle · 3 ring · 4 pinky. A bar means one finger holds several strings.
Hear Dsus2, Dsus4 and D back to back
The tool opens on Dsus2. Press Dsus4 or D and the diagrams, the sounding notes and the degree under each note change together; Hear plays recorded acoustic guitar.
The third steps down and D stops being major
D major is D, F# and A. Dsus2 keeps the D and the A and puts E in the middle, so nothing in the chord says major or minor any more. The chord still holds three notes, and every shape below sounds them in a different order.
Charts write it Dsus2, and search boxes also see d sus 2, d sus2 chord and d sus2 chord guitar. Piano players type d sus2 piano or dsus2 piano chord. All of those name the same three notes, D, E and A, and the chord does not change with the spelling.
In the open position the shape is X X 0 2 3 0: D on the open D string, A on the second fret of the G string, D again on the third fret of the B string, and E on the open high E string. The low E and A strings stay quiet, so the lowest note you hear is the open D string, not the sixth string.
Picking a Dsus2 shape
The first row is the open shape most people mean: index on the second fret of the G string, middle on the third fret of the B string, and the open D and top E strings ringing. Four strings sound and the low E and A strings stay quiet.
The other three rows move the root down to the fifth fret of the A string. X 5 2 2 3 0 keeps the same two fingers on the G and B strings and adds the low D on the A string and the E on the D string; X 5 2 2 5 5 closes the chord off by fretting the top two strings at the fifth fret, which puts an A on top as well; X 5 0 2 3 0 leaves the open D string ringing between the low D and the rest. Every row sounds D, E and A, and none of them needs a capo.
| Shape | Frets (low E to high E) | Sounding notes with degrees |
|---|---|---|
| Open position | X X 0 2 3 0 | D3 (1) · A3 (5) · D4 (1) · E4 (2) |
| Open strings with frets 2 to 5 | X 5 2 2 3 0 | D3 (1) · E3 (2) · A3 (5) · D4 (1) · E4 (2) |
| No open strings, frets 2 to 5 | X 5 2 2 5 5 | D3 (1) · E3 (2) · A3 (5) · E4 (2) · A4 (5) |
| Open strings with frets 2 to 5 | X 5 0 2 3 0 | D3 (1) · D3 (1) · A3 (5) · D4 (1) · E4 (2) |
Dsus2 on the piano
The Dsus2 keys are D, E and A. Play D and A first with the left hand and fit the E between them with the right, and the chord keeps the same open air it has on the guitar: a fifth holding still with a second inside it.
The keys below are the three chord notes inside one octave. A guitarist typically puts the E on top; a piano player can also stack D, A, E or invert the three notes, and none of those choices adds a note that is not in the chord.
Sounding notes of the keyboard voicing: D4 (1) · E4 (2) · A4 (5).
The three keys, low to high: D4 E4 A4.
Where Dsus2 turns up
The shortest use is the D family trick: D, then Dsus2, then D again. D is X X 0 2 3 2 and Dsus2 is X X 0 2 3 0, so the finger on the high E string simply lifts for the middle chord. The same three chords keep the D ringing while the top note walks between F# and E.
Dsus2 also stands in for the first chord of D major. In D, A, Bm, G the D can become Dsus2 for a bar or two; the chord still has the root and the fifth, and the melody rarely needs the F#. Put Dsus4 between the two when the top line wants to climb instead of fall, which is the order in the old D, Dsus4, Dsus2, D move.
Questions people ask about Dsus2
What is the difference between D and Dsus2?
One note. D is D, F# and A; Dsus2 is D, E and A, because the third F# is replaced by the second E. Hold X X 0 2 3 2 and lift the finger on the high E string: that is Dsus2. The F# you removed is the note that made D sound major.
How do you play Dsus2?
Put the index finger on the second fret of the G string and the middle finger on the third fret of the B string, then play the open D and high E strings together with the fretted G and B strings: X X 0 2 3 0. Keep the low E and A strings out; the chord is normally strummed as four strings, so the pick should start at the D string.
Is Dsus2 the same as Dadd9?
No. Dadd9 is D, F#, A and E: it keeps the major third and adds the E on top, four notes in all. Dsus2 replaces the third instead of adding to it, and that is why Dsus2 sounds unresolved next to a Dadd9.
Can these Dsus2 shapes be used in drop D or under a capo?
Not with the shapes on this page. They assume standard E A D G B E and no capo, because open strings are part of the fingerings. Drop D lowers the sixth string to D, so the bass of a barre shape on that string sounds a whole step lower, and a capo moves every open string with the hand.
Is there a d sus2 piano version of this page?
The piano keys for Dsus2 are in the piano section above: D, E and A, with a Hear button that uses recorded piano samples. The guitar and the piano play the same three letters; only the octaves and the number of strings differ.