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A♭ suspended 2nd chord on bass (A♭sus2)
Also called or written A♭sus2 or A♭
A♭ suspended 2nd contains A♭, B♭, and E♭. The default voicing places B♭ in the bass, giving the chord a soft, second-inversion float.
How it is built
Formula 1, 2, 5
- Root positionA♭–B♭–E♭A♭sus2no shape on this instrument
- First inversionB♭–E♭–A♭A♭sus2/B♭6-6-6-8
- Second inversionE♭–A♭–B♭A♭sus2/E♭11-13-13-13
How do you play an A♭ suspended 2nd chord on bass?
A♭ suspended 2nd is played at the 6th fret as 6 6 6 8: barre your index finger across fret 6 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 6 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (2) |
| 3 (A) | 6 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (5) |
| 2 (D) | 6 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 8 | 4 | E♭ (5) |
IntermediateThe index barre must hold three strings at the 6th fret while the pinky reaches the 8th fret on the G string.
A♭sus2/E♭ inversion
A♭ suspended 2nd is played at the 11th fret as 11 13 13 13: index finger on the E string at fret 11, middle finger on the A string at fret 13, ring finger on the D string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 13.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 11 | 1 | E♭ (5) |
| 3 (A) | 13 | 2 | B♭ (2) |
| 2 (D) | 13 | 3 | E♭ (5) |
| 1 (G) | 13 | 4 | A♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
A♭ suspended 2nd is built from the formula 1, 2, 5. The Major 2nd between A♭ and B♭ replaces the third, creating an open, unresolved quality. Compare with A♭ major, which uses a Major 3rd instead.
What goes wrong with A♭ suspended 2nd?
- The A string buzzes because the barre finger is not pressing evenly across the 6th fret.
- The pinky accidentally touches the D string, muting the note at the 6th fret.
When to use it
A♭ suspended 2nd works as a passing chord in A♭ major, especially in the I–IV–V–I progression: A♭ major–D♭ major–E♭ major–A♭ major. Its open sound suits jazz, gospel, and R&B bass lines.
Changing to and from A♭ suspended 2nd
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 5th fret gives G suspended 2nd.
- Move to A♭ major by lifting the pinky and shifting the barre to fret 6 on the E string while fretting C on the A string at fret 8.
Which voicing to use
The 6th-fret voicing puts B♭ in the bass, which is useful when the chord needs to lead to E♭. The 11th-fret voicing puts E♭ in the bass and is easier to reach in mid-neck positions.
Other A♭ chords
Common questions
How is A♭ suspended 2nd written?
A♭ suspended 2nd is written as A♭sus2 or A♭. On a keyboard, type Ab because the ♭ symbol is not available. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
How does A♭ suspended 2nd differ from A♭ suspended 4th?
A♭ suspended 2nd replaces the third with a Major 2nd (B♭), while A♭ suspended 4th replaces it with a Perfect 4th (D♭). The sus2 sounds brighter and more open; the sus4 has a stronger pull to resolve.
What is the difference between A♭ suspended 2nd and A♭ add 9?
A♭ suspended 2nd omits the third entirely, leaving A♭, B♭, and E♭. A♭ add 9 includes the major third (C) along with the ninth (B♭), so it has a fuller, more consonant sound.