My Chord Finder
A
1, 3, 5 · A, C#, E
Suspended Chord
A suspended chord takes out the third
The third is the note that makes a chord sound major or minor. Take it out and the chord sits in between. That is a suspended chord, or sus chord.
On C, the major chord is C, E, G. The minor chord is C, Eb, G. Csus2 is C, D, G: D stands where E was. Csus4 is C, F, G: F stands where E was.
When a chart just says sus, it means sus4. If the writer wants the 2nd, they write sus2.
Sus chords on guitar, starting with A
An A suspended chord on guitar is Asus2 or Asus4. A major is A, C#, E. A minor is A, C, E. Asus2 puts B in the third's place: A, B, E. Asus4 puts D there: A, D, E. These shapes are standard tuning with no capo. Change the root for the other eleven. One named chord, including a sus chord, can also be opened in the chord finder.
Am
1, b3, 5 · A, C, E
Asus2
1, 2, 5 · A, B, E
Asus4
1, 4, 5 · A, D, 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.
Sus2 and sus4 for every root
Twelve roots, two suspended chords each. The fret numbers run from the thick low E string to the thin high E string. X means leave that string quiet. 0 means play it open. The chart is on the page even if scripts are off. For how X, O and fret numbers work, see how to read guitar chords.
C
C major keeps E (C, E, G). C minor keeps Eb (C, Eb, G). Sus2 puts D in that seat (C, D, G). Sus4 puts F there (C, F, G).
Csus2 · C, D, G · frets X 3 0 0 3 3 · sounding C3 D3 G3 D4 G4
Csus4 · C, F, G · frets X 3 3 0 1 1 · sounding C3 F3 G3 C4 F4
C#
C# major keeps E# (C#, E#, G#). C# minor keeps E (C#, E, G#). Sus2 puts D# in that seat (C#, D#, G#). Sus4 puts F# there (C#, F#, G#).
C#sus2 · C#, D#, G# · frets X 4 1 1 4 4 · sounding C#3 D#3 G#3 D#4 G#4
C#sus4 · C#, F#, G# · frets X 4 4 1 2 X · sounding C#3 F#3 G#3 C#4
D
D major keeps F# (D, F#, A). D minor keeps F (D, F, A). Sus2 puts E in that seat (D, E, A). Sus4 puts G there (D, G, A).
Dsus2 · D, E, A · frets X X 0 2 3 0 · sounding D3 A3 D4 E4
Dsus4 · D, G, A · frets X X 0 2 3 3 · sounding D3 A3 D4 G4
D#
D# major keeps F## (D#, F##, A#). D# minor keeps F# (D#, F#, A#). Sus2 puts E# in that seat (D#, E#, A#). Sus4 puts G# there (D#, G#, A#).
D#sus2 · D#, E#, A# · frets X X 1 3 4 1 · sounding D#3 A#3 D#4 E#4
D#sus4 · D#, G#, A# · frets X X 1 3 4 4 · sounding D#3 A#3 D#4 G#4
E
E major keeps G# (E, G#, B). E minor keeps G (E, G, B). Sus2 puts F# in that seat (E, F#, B). Sus4 puts A there (E, A, B).
Esus2 · E, F#, B · frets 0 2 4 4 0 0 · sounding E2 B2 F#3 B3 B3 E4
Esus4 · E, A, B · frets 0 0 2 2 0 0 · sounding E2 A2 E3 A3 B3 E4
F
F major keeps A (F, A, C). F minor keeps Ab (F, Ab, C). Sus2 puts G in that seat (F, G, C). Sus4 puts Bb there (F, Bb, C).
Fsus2 · F, G, C · frets 1 3 3 0 1 1 · sounding F2 C3 F3 G3 C4 F4
Fsus4 · F, Bb, C · frets 1 1 3 3 1 1 · sounding F2 Bb2 F3 Bb3 C4 F4
F#
F# major keeps A# (F#, A#, C#). F# minor keeps A (F#, A, C#). Sus2 puts G# in that seat (F#, G#, C#). Sus4 puts B there (F#, B, C#).
F#sus2 · F#, G#, C# · frets X X 4 1 2 2 · sounding F#3 G#3 C#4 F#4
F#sus4 · F#, B, C# · frets 2 2 4 4 2 2 · sounding F#2 B2 F#3 B3 C#4 F#4
G
G major keeps B (G, B, D). G minor keeps Bb (G, Bb, D). Sus2 puts A in that seat (G, A, D). Sus4 puts C there (G, C, D).
Gsus2 · G, A, D · frets 3 0 0 0 3 3 · sounding G2 A2 D3 G3 D4 G4
Gsus4 · G, C, D · frets 3 3 0 0 3 3 · sounding G2 C3 D3 G3 D4 G4
G#
G# major keeps B# (G#, B#, D#). G# minor keeps B (G#, B, D#). Sus2 puts A# in that seat (G#, A#, D#). Sus4 puts C# there (G#, C#, D#).
G#sus2 · G#, A#, D# · frets 4 1 1 1 4 4 · sounding G#2 A#2 D#3 G#3 D#4 G#4
G#sus4 · G#, C#, D# · frets 4 4 1 1 2 X · sounding G#2 C#3 D#3 G#3 C#4
A
A major keeps C# (A, C#, E). A minor keeps C (A, C, E). Sus2 puts B in that seat (A, B, E). Sus4 puts D there (A, D, E).
Asus2 · A, B, E · frets X 0 2 2 0 0 · sounding A2 E3 A3 B3 E4
Asus4 · A, D, E · frets X 0 0 2 3 0 · sounding A2 D3 A3 D4 E4
A#
A# major keeps C## (A#, C##, E#). A# minor keeps C# (A#, C#, E#). Sus2 puts B# in that seat (A#, B#, E#). Sus4 puts D# there (A#, D#, E#).
A#sus2 · A#, B#, E# · frets X 1 3 3 1 1 · sounding A#2 E#3 A#3 B#3 E#4
A#sus4 · A#, D#, E# · frets X 1 1 3 4 1 · sounding A#2 D#3 A#3 D#4 E#4
B
B major keeps D# (B, D#, F#). B minor keeps D (B, D, F#). Sus2 puts C# in that seat (B, C#, F#). Sus4 puts E there (B, E, F#).
Bsus2 · B, C#, F# · frets X 2 4 4 2 2 · sounding B2 F#3 B3 C#4 F#4
Bsus4 · B, E, F# · frets X 2 4 4 0 0 · sounding B2 F#3 B3 B3 E4
The two chords are also compared side by side, with the note names for all twelve roots, one shape on each root string and two intervals measured in a public-domain recording, on sus2 chord and sus4 chord.
One sus chord at a time
Plenty of visitors arrive with a single chord in mind rather than a family of twelve. Each page below stays on one root: the shapes with their fret numbers, the note every string sounds, the degree of each of those notes, and a switch between the sus2, the sus4 and the plain major triad on that root.
Questions people ask about sus chords
Is sus a sus2 or a sus4?
Sus on its own means sus4. Sus2 is the one that uses the 2nd. They are not the same chord: on C, sus4 is C, F, G and sus2 is C, D, G.
What are sus chords on guitar?
They are the same suspended chords, played as shapes. You already know a major or minor grip. Move the finger that plays the third to the 2nd or the 4th, and you have the sus chord. The shapes above are suggestions, not the only fingering.
What is a suspended chord on a guitar?
People who type "a suspended chord guitar" are usually asking for the A chord. Use the A root above: Asus2 reads X 0 2 2 0 0 and Asus4 reads X 0 0 2 3 0. Both are open chords.
What are all the suspended chords for guitar?
The table on this page lists sus2 and sus4 for C through B. It is not a PDF. Sharp roots are included; a chart of only C, D, E, F, G, A and B leaves five roots out.
Why are they called suspended?
The third is held back. The 2nd or the 4th is hanging where the third would be, and the ear often wants the major or minor chord to follow. You do not have to resolve it. Plenty of songs stay on the sus chord.
What are 7 sus chords?
A 7sus chord keeps the 4th and adds a flat 7th. That is a different chord from the three-note sus2 and sus4 on this page. A minor seventh still has a third. Compare those four-note chords on minor seventh chord guitar.
The five seventh types on one root are on 7th chords guitar.