As a suspended tonicE major
The suspension resolves down onto the plain triad on the next beat.
Esus4 Chord: Guitar, Piano and Notes
The Esus4 chord is a suspended fourth chord built on the root note E. Its notes are E, A and B.
Transpose
Quality
Short answer
Suspended fourth chords feel tense and expectant. The fourth wants to resolve down to the third, which makes sus4 a classic tool for building energy right before a major or minor chord.
- Notes
- E · A · B
- Formula
- 1 · 4 · 5
- Semitones
- 0 · 5 · 7
- Note
- E
- Quality
- Suspended 4
- Symbol
- Esus4
Esus4 on piano
3 notesView:
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
To play Esus4 on piano, place your right hand with your thumb on E, middle finger on A and little finger on B. Press the keys together and listen for an even sound. On the keyboard every note of Esus4 is a white key. Practice moving in and out of the chord slowly, then bring in a metronome.
- E1
- A4
- B5
Esus4 on guitar
View:
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
On guitar, Esus4 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. Strings 6, 2 and 1 ring open.
E · A · B
Try Esus4 on the virtual piano
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Esus4 chord notes
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | E | |
| 4 | Perfect fourth | 5 | A | |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | B |
How to use the Esus4 chord
The Esus4 chord is built from a root, a perfect fourth and a perfect fifth. Start at the root E and stack the intervals to get the whole chord: E, A and B. The same formula gives you the chord in any other key.
Suspended fourth chords appear in rock riffs, worship music and folk. They usually sit right before the corresponding major chord, creating a strong pull into the downbeat.
How Esus4 differs from similar chords
Esus4 puts a perfect fourth where the third of E would be, and that fourth wants to fall a half step to the major third. Where Esus2 sits comfortably, Esus4 sounds like a question waiting for its answer. Add a minor seventh and it becomes E7sus4, the suspended dominant.
Where Esus4 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 Esus4 chord?
- The Esus4 chord contains E, A and B.
- Is the Esus4 chord major or minor?
- Esus4 is a suspended fourth chord. Suspended fourth chords feel tense and expectant. The fourth wants to resolve down to the third, which makes sus4 a classic tool for building energy right before a major or minor chord.
- How do you play Esus4 on piano?
- Place your fingers on E, A and B 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 Esus4 is a white key.
- How do you play Esus4 on guitar?
- Use the fingering in the diagram above. Strings 6, 2 and 1 ring open.
- What chords work well with Esus4?
- Esus4 pairs naturally with the chords in the related section: a perfect fifth up or down, the relative major or minor, and anything sharing two notes with it.