Play Csus23 shapes
Choose a root note
12 diagrams · 12 playable
Play C#sus22 shapes
Play Dsus23 shapes
Play D#sus22 shapes
Play Esus23 shapes
Play Fsus23 shapes
Play F#sus22 shapes
Play Gsus23 shapes
Play G#sus22 shapes
Play Asus23 shapes
Play A#sus22 shapes
Play Bsus22 shapes
Anatomy
Sus2 Chord Formula
The 3 scale degrees that form every sus2 chord — in any key.
I
Root0 st
II
Major 2nd+2 st
V
Perfect 5th+7 st
A sus2 chord is a major (or minor) triad with the 3rd removed and replaced by the 2nd. "Sus" is short for suspended — the 3rd that normally decides whether a chord sounds happy (major) or sad (minor) is suspended, so a sus2 sounds neither. With the 3rd gone and the 2nd ringing a whole step above the root, the chord takes on an open, airy, slightly unresolved quality that wants to resolve back to the plain major or minor chord.
Applied to C: C (root) – D (major 2nd) – G (perfect 5th). Applied to D: D – E – A. Applied to A: A – B – E.
About this tool
About Sus2 Chords on Guitar
The suspended 2nd chord — written "sus2" — is a three-note chord built from the root, the major 2nd, and the perfect 5th (formula 1 – 2 – 5). Because it has no 3rd, it is neither major nor minor: it sits in an open, ambiguous space that sounds bright and ringing without committing to a mood. Sus2 chords are everywhere in folk, rock, and pop guitar, where the open Dsus2, Asus2, and Esus2 shapes add shimmer to a strummed progression. The classic move is to hammer between a major chord and its sus2 — Riffs like the intro to many acoustic songs lean on exactly this tension and release. Every sus2 here is fully moveable as an A-shape barre, so once you know one shape you can play all 12.
- 01Built from 3 notes: root, major 2nd, perfect 5th (formula 1 – 2 – 5)
- 02No 3rd — neither major nor minor, so it sounds open and unresolved
- 03Open Dsus2 (xx0230), Asus2 (x02200), and Esus2 are folk and rock staples
- 04Resolves beautifully back to the plain major or minor chord of the same root
- 05The A-shape barre form is fully moveable to all 12 roots
- 06Written with "sus2" after the root letter: Csus2, Dsus2, Asus2
- 07Distinct from sus4 (1 – 4 – 5, which suspends up to the 4th) and add9 (a full major triad with the 9th added on top)
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
A sus2 (suspended 2nd) chord is a three-note chord made of the root, the major 2nd, and the perfect 5th. For example, Csus2 contains C, D, and G. It has no 3rd, so it sounds neither major nor minor — just open and ringing.
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 sus2 chord is the same set of notes as the sus4 chord built on its 5th.
There are 12 sus2 chords — one for each note in the chromatic scale: Csus2, C#sus2/Dbsus2, Dsus2, D#sus2/Ebsus2, Esus2, Fsus2, F#sus2/Gbsus2, Gsus2, G#sus2/Absus2, Asus2, A#sus2/Bbsus2, and Bsus2.
Because a sus2 chord has no 3rd, the interval that normally tells your ear whether a chord is happy (major) or sad (minor) is missing. The major 2nd sitting a whole step above the root creates a gentle, unresolved tension that makes the chord sound open, modern, and a little dreamy.
The sus2 formula is 1 – 2 – 5: root, major second, and perfect fifth. Applied to C that is C (1), D (2), and G (5).
No. A sus2 chord removes the 3rd and puts the 2nd in its place (1 – 2 – 5), so it is neither major nor minor. An add9 chord keeps the full major triad and adds the 9th on top (1 – 3 – 5 – 9) — same added note, but the 3rd stays, so add9 sounds firmly major while sus2 sounds open and neutral.
All Chord Types
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