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Suspended Second Chord

 

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Last updated on: 2009-08-19 6:07 PM

A suspended second chord is composed using a root/1st, major 2nd and a perfect 5th (or R/1-2-5) intervals played simultaneously. Generally written as Csus2 or C(sus2), it is good practice to simply use an uppercase C with a superscripted sus2 to represent it in writing (ie: Csus2).

The suspended second chord does not have a distinctive quality (ie: major or minor) when played by itself as there is no 3rd degree present, it's quality is implied by it's resolution (if any). For example, if you were to play a Dsus2, then a D major, it's implied quality would be major because the major 2nd is resolving to the major 3rd one whole step higher. Alternatively, if you were to play a Dsus2, then a D minor, it's implied quality would be minor because the major 2nd is resolving to the minor 3rd one half step higher.

It is not necessary to resolve the suspended second chord, it is mearly a tonal tool we can use if required.

Suspended Second Chord Profile

Intervals root/1st, major 2nd, perfect 5th or R/1-2-5
Stability Consonant / Unresolved
Grouping Class Triad
Common Names (examples in C) Csus2, C(sus2)

Suspended Second Chord Voicings

The chord voicing's below are not shown with any particular root note, they are shapes which can be moved around the guitar neck freely using the root note (circled dot) as your navigator. See example below.

  • How to use
  • As an example, let's say you require a D major chord
  • After playing all the chord voicing's, you decide on voicing #2
  • Voicing #2 has it's root on the 5th string so you need to find the D note on this string
  • You click the notes on the neck reference chart tab and find the D note is on the 5th fret (5th string)
  • You now play D major using voicing #2 on the 5th fret
  • Use the Octave chart tab to help you remember which notes are where
  • Use the Chord chart help tab if your a beginner at reading chord boxes
Suspended second chord voicings
Chord chart help
Notes on the guitar neck chart (lite version)
Octaves chart

Using octaves to learn notes on the guitar neck

  1. First determine which chord you require, let's use a B major chord in this example.
  2. We know the root note is B, (if it were an A major chord the root note would be A and for Cma7 it would be C, etc etc)
  3. Using the notes on the guitar neck chart, find the B note on the 6th string, 7th fret.
  4. Now using the major chord voicing's chart, look for voicing #4 which has it's root note on the 6th string and play it.
  5. Now lets find a B major chord on the 5th string using voicing #2
  6. You already know the B note on the 6th string 7th fret, now track back to the B on the 1st string 7th fret, then to the B on the 3rd string 4th fret, and finally to the B on the 5th string 2nd fret and play voicing #2 major chord.
  7. Remember, learning and memorizing notes, chord voicing's and scales in this way will improve your playing skills, theoretical knowledge and desirability as a band member.

Suspended Second Chord Audio Sample(s)

To download audio sample(s) for later listening, right click on the MP3 link, then from the context menu that appears select Save Target As (Internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Firefox).

Audio Sample Name Flash MP3
C Suspended Second Chord voicing #2 c-suspended-second-chord-voicing-2.mp3

Related Lessons & Resources

External Resources