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B 7th suspended 4th chord on bass (B7sus4)
Also called or written B7sus4, B or B Dominant 7th Suspended 4th
B 7th suspended 4th contains B, E, F♯, and A. The 7th-fret shape requires a wide stretch, and the 2nd-fret inversion uses a full barre.
How it is built
Formula 1, 4, 5, ♭7
How do you play a B 7th suspended 4th chord on bass?
B 7th suspended 4th is played at the 7th fret as 7 9 7 9: index finger on the E string at fret 7, ring finger on the A string at fret 9, middle finger on the D string at fret 7 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 7 | 1 | B (1) |
| 3 (A) | 9 | 3 | F♯ (5) |
| 2 (D) | 7 | 2 | A (♭7) |
| 1 (G) | 9 | 4 | E (4) |
AdvancedThe 2nd-fret inversion requires barring all four strings while keeping the bass note F♯ clear.
B7sus4/F♯ inversion · fret 2
B 7th suspended 4th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 2 2 2: barre your index finger across fret 2.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 3 (A) | 2 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 2 (D) | 2 | 1 (barre) | E (4) |
| 1 (G) | 2 | 1 (barre) | A (♭7) |
B7sus4/F♯ inversion · fret 14
B 7th suspended 4th is played at the 14th fret as 14 14 14 14: barre your index finger across fret 14.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 14 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 3 (A) | 14 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 2 (D) | 14 | 1 (barre) | E (4) |
| 1 (G) | 14 | 1 (barre) | A (♭7) |
Why it sounds like that
B 7th suspended 4th is built from the formula 1, 4, 5, ♭7. The perfect 4th between B and E gives it the suspended quality, and the minor 7th A adds a dominant pull. Compare it to B suspended 4th, which lacks the minor 7th.
What goes wrong with B 7th suspended 4th?
- Letting the middle finger flatten onto the A string, which deadens the 9th-fret note.
- Pressing the barre too hard in the inversion, causing the strings to buzz.
When to use it
B 7th suspended 4th acts as the V chord in E major, appearing in the I–IV–V–I progression E major–A major–B major–E major. It suits rock and blues bass lines that need a suspended dominant. Compare it to B minor to hear the difference between a suspended dominant and a minor chord.
Changing to and from B 7th suspended 4th
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 5th fret gives A 7th suspended 4th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 8th fret gives C 7th suspended 4th.
Which voicing to use
The 7th-fret shape keeps B in the bass for a root-position sound. The B7sus4/F♯ inversion at the 2nd fret puts F♯ in the bass, which softens the chord and works well for a lighter texture.
Other B chords
Common questions
How does B 7th suspended 4th differ from B suspended 4th?
B 7th suspended 4th adds the minor 7th A to the B, E, and F♯ of B suspended 4th. That extra note creates a dominant pull toward E major.
Can B 7th suspended 4th be played with open strings?
No, this chord has no open-string voicing. The lowest position is the 2nd-fret inversion, which requires a barre.
What mistake do bassists make with this chord?
They often let the middle finger collapse onto the A string, muting the 9th-fret note. Keep that finger arched to let every string ring.