As a suspended tonicF♯ major
The suspension resolves down onto the plain triad on the next beat.
F♯sus2 Chord: Guitar, Piano and Notes
The F♯sus2 chord is a suspended second chord built on the root note F♯. Its notes are F♯, G♯ and C♯. It's enharmonically the same chord as G♭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
- F♯ · G♯ · C♯
- Formula
- 1 · 2 · 5
- Semitones
- 0 · 2 · 7
- Note
- F♯
- Quality
- Suspended 2
- Symbol
- F♯sus2
F♯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 F♯sus2 on piano, place your right hand with your thumb on F♯, middle finger on G♯ and little finger on C♯. Press the keys together and listen for an even sound. On the keyboard every note of F♯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.
- F♯1
- G♯2
- C♯5
F♯sus2 on guitar
View:
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
On guitar, F♯sus2 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. This one is a barre at fret 2: keep the index finger flat across the strings and curve the others so they don't mute the strings next to them.
F♯ · G♯ · C♯
Try F♯sus2 on the virtual piano
Free, in your browser: play with the mouse, your computer keyboard or a USB MIDI keyboard. No sign-up.
F♯sus2 chord notes
Also known as G♭sus2
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | F♯(F#) | |
| 2 | Major second | 2 | G♯(G#) | |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | C♯(C#) |
How to use the F♯sus2 chord
The F♯sus2 chord is built from a root, a major second and a perfect fifth. Start at the root F♯ and stack the intervals to get the whole chord: F♯, G♯ and C♯. 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 F♯sus2 differs from similar chords
F♯sus2 replaces the third with a major second, so unlike F♯ or F♯m it is neither major nor minor. It is not F♯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 F♯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 F♯sus2 chord?
- The F♯sus2 chord contains F♯, G♯ and C♯ (F#, G# and C# in plain text).
- Is the F♯sus2 chord major or minor?
- F♯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 F♯sus2 on piano?
- Place your fingers on F♯, G♯ and C♯ 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 F♯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 F♯sus2 on guitar?
- Use the fingering in the diagram above. This one is a barre at fret 2: 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 F♯sus2 chord?
- F♯sus2 is enharmonically equivalent to G♭sus2. Both chord names describe exactly the same notes, but the spelling depends on the key you are playing in.