As a suspended tonicC♯ major
The suspension resolves down onto the plain triad on the next beat.
C♯sus2 Chord: Guitar, Piano and Notes
The C♯sus2 chord is a suspended second chord built on the root note C♯. Its notes are C♯, D♯ and G♯. It's enharmonically the same chord as D♭sus2.
Transpose
Quality
Short answer
Suspended second chords sound open and airy. Replacing the third with a second removes the major/minor colour and leaves a hollow, modern feel used heavily in folk, indie and cinematic music.
- Notes
- C♯ · D♯ · G♯
- Formula
- 1 · 2 · 5
- Semitones
- 0 · 2 · 7
- Note
- C♯
- Quality
- Suspended 2
- Symbol
- C♯sus2
C♯sus2 on piano
3 notesView:
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
To play C♯sus2 on piano, place your right hand with your thumb on C♯, middle finger on D♯ and little finger on G♯. Press the keys together and listen for an even sound. On the keyboard every note of C♯sus2 is a black key. The thumb starts on a black key, so slide the whole hand a little further in, towards the fallboard. Practice moving in and out of the chord slowly, then bring in a metronome.
- C♯1
- D♯2
- G♯5
C♯sus2 on guitar
View:
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
On guitar, C♯sus2 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. This one is a barre at fret 9: keep the index finger flat across the strings and curve the others so they don't mute the strings next to them.
C♯ · D♯ · G♯
Play C♯sus2 on the online piano
Free, in your browser: play with the mouse, your computer keyboard or a USB MIDI keyboard. No sign-up.
C♯sus2 chord notes
Also known as D♭sus2
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | C♯(C#) | |
| 2 | Major second | 2 | D♯(D#) | |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | G♯(G#) |
How to use the C♯sus2 chord
The C♯sus2 chord is built from a root, a major second and a perfect fifth. Start at the root C♯ and stack the intervals to get the whole chord: C♯, D♯ and G♯. The same formula gives you the chord in any other key.
Suspended second chords are a signature sound of modern pop, worship music, ambient and post-rock. They're commonly used as colour over a root chord or as an open alternative to major.
How C♯sus2 differs from similar chords
C♯sus2 replaces the third with a major second, so unlike C♯ or C♯m it is neither major nor minor. It is not C♯add9, which keeps the third and adds the ninth on top. Its three notes are the same as those of the sus4 chord built on its fifth.
Where C♯sus2 is used
A suspended chord withholds the third, so it is a chord in waiting - it resolves onto the plain triad underneath it.
Questions people ask
- What notes are in the C♯sus2 chord?
- The C♯sus2 chord contains C♯, D♯ and G♯ (C#, D# and G# in plain text).
- Is the C♯sus2 chord major or minor?
- C♯sus2 is a suspended second chord. Suspended second chords sound open and airy. Replacing the third with a second removes the major/minor colour and leaves a hollow, modern feel used heavily in folk, indie and cinematic music.
- How do you play C♯sus2 on piano?
- Place your fingers on C♯, D♯ and G♯ and play them together. The root usually goes to the little finger of the left hand, the upper notes to the right. On the keyboard every note of C♯sus2 is a black key. The thumb starts on a black key, so slide the whole hand a little further in, towards the fallboard.
- How do you play C♯sus2 on guitar?
- Use the fingering in the diagram above. This one is a barre at fret 9: keep the index finger flat across the strings and curve the others so they don't mute the strings next to them.
- What is another name for the C♯sus2 chord?
- C♯sus2 is enharmonically equivalent to D♭sus2. Both chord names describe exactly the same notes, but the spelling depends on the key you are playing in.