Also written Bsus4, Bsus or B Suspended
B suspended 4th contains B, E, and F♯. The 7th-fret shape is a stretch, but the inversion at the 2nd fret uses a barre for a warmer voicing.
The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.
B suspended 4th is built from the formula 1, 4, 5 — the root B, the perfect fourth E, and the perfect fifth F♯. The fourth replaces the third, which removes the major or minor quality and leaves an open, unresolved sound. Compare it with B major, where the third is D♯.
B suspended 4th works as a suspended colour in B major progressions like B–E–F♯–B, the I–IV–V–I, where it delays the resolution of B major. It also fits rock, pop, and gospel when a chord needs to hover before landing.
The 7th-fret shape puts B in the bass for a rooted, stable sound. The Bsus4/F♯ inversion places F♯ in the bass, which softens the chord and works well when the bass line is descending toward E.
B suspended 4th is played at the 7th fret as 7 9 9 9: index finger on the E string at fret 7, middle finger on the A string at fret 9, ring finger on the D string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 9.
Tip — The three-fret stretch from the index on the 4th string to the pinky on the 1st string demands a wide hand span.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 7 | 1 | B (1) |
| 3 (A) | 9 | 2 | F♯ (5) |
| 2 (D) | 9 | 3 | B (1) |
| 1 (G) | 9 | 4 | E (4) |
B suspended 4th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 2 2 4: barre your index finger across fret 2 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 4.
| 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) | 4 | 4 | B (1) |
B suspended 4th is written as Bsus or Bsus4. The symbol Bsus4 specifies the fourth explicitly, while Bsus assumes it.
B suspended 4th replaces the third with the fourth, E. B suspended 2nd replaces the third with the second, C♯, creating an even more open sound.
Yes, B suspended 4th can resolve to B minor by moving the fourth down a half step to the minor third, D. This resolution is common in classical and folk music.