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E♭ suspended 4th chord on bass (E♭sus4)
Also called or written E♭sus4, E♭sus or E♭ Suspended
E♭ suspended 4th contains E♭, A♭, and B♭. The 11th-fret shape is a stretch, but the inversion at the 6th fret uses a barre for a warmer voicing.
How it is built
Formula 1, 4, 5
- Root positionE♭–A♭–B♭E♭sus411-13-13-13
- First inversionA♭–B♭–E♭E♭sus4/A♭no shape on this instrument
- Second inversionB♭–E♭–A♭E♭sus4/B♭6-6-6-8
How do you play an E♭ suspended 4th chord on bass?
E♭ suspended 4th 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♭ (1) |
| 3 (A) | 13 | 2 | B♭ (5) |
| 2 (D) | 13 | 3 | E♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 13 | 4 | A♭ (4) |
IntermediateThe three-fret stretch from the index on the 4th string to the pinky on the 1st string demands a wide hand span.
E♭sus4/B♭ inversion
E♭ suspended 4th 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♭ (5) |
| 3 (A) | 6 | 1 (barre) | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (D) | 6 | 1 (barre) | A♭ (4) |
| 1 (G) | 8 | 4 | E♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ suspended 4th is built from the formula 1, 4, 5 — the root E♭, the perfect fourth A♭, and the perfect fifth B♭. The fourth replaces the third, which removes the major or minor quality and leaves an open, unresolved sound. Compare it with E♭ major, where the third is G.
What goes wrong with E♭ suspended 4th?
- Letting the pinky collapse and mute the 1st string.
- Pressing the middle finger too flat and deadening the 2nd string.
- Rushing the shift so the index lands short of the 11th fret.
When to use it
E♭ suspended 4th works as a suspended colour in E♭ major progressions like E♭–A♭–B♭–E♭, the I–IV–V–I, where it delays the resolution of E♭ major. It also fits rock, pop, and gospel when a chord needs to hover before landing.
Changing to and from E♭ suspended 4th
- Move to E♭ major by lifting the middle finger and placing it on the 3rd string, 12th fret while keeping the index and ring in place.
- Slide the shape down two frets to the 9th fret to reach C♯ suspended 4th.
Which voicing to use
The 11th-fret shape puts E♭ in the bass for a rooted, stable sound. The E♭sus4/A♯ inversion places B♭ in the bass, which softens the chord and works well when the bass line is descending toward A♭.
Other E♭ chords
Common questions
How is E♭ suspended 4th written?
E♭ suspended 4th is written as E♭sus or E♭sus4. The ASCII spelling is Eb, so you may see Ebsus or Ebsus4. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between E♭ suspended 4th and E♭ suspended 2nd?
E♭ suspended 4th replaces the third with the fourth, A♭. E♭ suspended 2nd replaces the third with the second, F, creating an even more open sound.
Can E♭ suspended 4th resolve to E♭ minor?
Yes, E♭ suspended 4th can resolve to E♭ minor by moving the fourth down a half step to the minor third, G♭. This resolution is common in classical and folk music.