Sus2 guitar chords
A sus2 chord replaces the third with the second note of the scale. With no third it is neither major nor minor, which gives it an open, unresolved sound.
How sus2 chords are built
The formula is 1–2–5: the root, the major second and the perfect fifth, counted from the root’s major scale. In Csus2 that gives C · D · G.
All 12 sus2 chords on guitar
Fingerings read from the low E string to the high E string. x = not played, 0 = open. 4 of the twelve main shapes are easy, 5 medium and 3 hard.
| Chord | Notes | Fingering | Position | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Csus2 | C D G | x30013 | open position | Easy |
| Dbsus2 | D♭ E♭ A♭ | 446644 | barre chord, 4th fret | Medium |
| Dsus2 | D E A | xx0230 | open position | Easy |
| Ebsus2 | E♭ F B♭ | 111341 | barre chord, 1st fret | Hard |
| Esus2 | E F♯ B | 222452 | barre chord, 2nd fret | Hard |
| Fsus2 | F G C | 133x13 | barre chord, 1st fret | Hard |
| F#sus2 | F♯ G♯ C♯ | 2xx122 | 1st fret | Medium |
| Gsus2 | G A D | 300033 | open position | Easy |
| Absus2 | A♭ B♭ E♭ | 4xx344 | 3rd fret | Medium |
| Asus2 | A B E | x02200 | open position | Easy |
| Bbsus2 | B♭ C F | 113311 | barre chord, 1st fret | Medium |
| Bsus2 | B C♯ F♯ | 224422 | barre chord, 2nd fret | Medium |
Sus2 chord diagrams
- Csus2x300134 fingerings · easy
- Dsus2xx02304 fingerings · easy
- Esus22224524 fingerings · hard
- Fsus2133x134 fingerings · hard
- Gsus23000334 fingerings · easy
- Asus2x022004 fingerings · easy
- Bsus22244224 fingerings · medium
Where sus2 chords appear in a key
In a major key, a suspended 2nd chord fits on the I, VI, V, IV and II degrees of the scale. For example, Csus2 is the I chord in C major, VI chord in Eb major, V chord in F major, IV chord in G major and II chord in Bb major.