Suspended second chord
The suspended second chord: the third replaced by the second. It has no major or minor quality, so it sounds open and unresolved. Spelled in all twelve keys, with guitar shapes and piano diagrams.
On C
- Symbol
- Csus2
- Formula
- 1 2 5
- Notes
- 3
What it sounds like
Csus2 replaces the third with the second, two semitones above the root, so the notes are C, D and G. Without a third, the chord has no major or minor quality, and the ear hears it as open and unfocused. The second is a mild dissonance against the root, and the fifth keeps the frame stable. The sound is airy and unresolved, and it waits for the third to arrive. Csus2 is therefore usually heard as a moment before a major or minor chord, not as an end point.
How it is used
Suspended second chords can sit on any degree of a key, but they are often found on the tonic and the subdominant, as Isus2 and IVsus2. Pop, folk and rock guitar use them to open a chord sequence or to vary a plain triad. The suspended second moves most naturally to a triad by a step: the second rises a whole step to become a major third, or falls a semitone to become a minor third. Csus2 moving to C, with D rising to E, is the usual pattern.
How it is built
The suspended second is a root with a major second and a perfect fifth, 0, 2 and 7 semitones above the root. Common symbols are Csus2 and C(sus2), and the symbol Csus alone normally means the fourth. Csus2 and Gsus4 contain the same notes, C, D and G, so the same chord has two names. In the first inversion, Csus2/D has D in the bass, and that spelling is Gsus4 in root position. The chord has no third, so it has only one fixed quality.
How to practise it
Play Csus2 and Gsus4 in the same hand position, then play each one followed by its major chord: Csus2 to C, with D rising to E, and Gsus4 to G, with C falling to B. Next, play Csus2 followed by C minor, with D falling to E♭. Listen to the single moving note, which turns the open chord into a triad.
Suspended second chord in every key
Every chord is spelled by letter name. Click a symbol for its page, with inversions and guitar shapes.
| Chord | Notes | Hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Csus2 | C D G | |
| C♯sus2 | C♯ D♯ G♯ | |
| D♭sus2 | D♭ E♭ A♭ | |
| Dsus2 | D E A | |
| E♭sus2 | E♭ F B♭ | |
| Esus2 | E F♯ B | |
| Fsus2 | F G C | |
| F♯sus2 | F♯ G♯ C♯ | |
| G♭sus2 | G♭ A♭ D♭ | |
| Gsus2 | G A D | |
| G♯sus2 | G♯ A♯ D♯ | |
| A♭sus2 | A♭ B♭ E♭ | |
| Asus2 | A B E | |
| B♭sus2 | B♭ C F | |
| Bsus2 | B C♯ F♯ |
Further reading
- Suspended Chords: Sus2 and Sus4 ExplainedHarmony · 7 min
- Chord Symbols Explained: Major, Minor, Seventh and Slash ChordsHarmony · 8 min
- Non-Chord Tones: Passing, Neighbour, Suspension and MoreHarmony · 7 min
Questions
What is the difference between sus2 and sus4?
Sus2 replaces the third with the second, two semitones above the root. Sus4 replaces it with the fourth, five semitones above the root. Csus2 is C, D and G, and Csus4 is C, F and G. Sus4 sounds more tense, because the fourth sits against the bass as a suspension, while sus2 sounds airier.
How does a suspended second chord resolve?
The second moves by step to the third. A rising whole step turns D into E, giving a major chord, so Csus2 becomes C. A falling semitone turns D into E♭, giving a minor chord, so Csus2 becomes Cm. The step gives the chord its direction, which is why sus chords often come before a triad.
Is Csus2 a major or minor chord?
Neither. Csus2 has no third, so it has no major or minor quality. Its notes are C, D and G. The chord takes on a major or minor character from the chord that follows it, or from the melody above it, which is why lead sheets often use sus chords before a resolution.