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A suspended 4th chord on guitar (Asus4)
Also called or written Asus4, Asus or A Suspended
A suspended 4th is built from A, D, and E. The open shape uses three open strings and two fretted notes, making it an easy first sus chord.
How it is built
Formula 1, 4, 5
- Root positionA–D–EAsus4×-0-0-2-3-0
- First inversionD–E–AAsus4/D×-×-0-2-3-0
- Second inversionE–A–DAsus4/E0-0-0-2-3-0
How do you play an A suspended 4th chord on guitar?
A suspended 4th is played in open position as × 0 0 2 3 0: index finger on the G string at fret 2 and middle finger on the B string at fret 3. The A, D and high e strings ring open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (1) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (4) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 1 | A (1) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 2 | D (4) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (5) |
BeginnerThe open shape requires clean fretting of two notes while allowing three open strings to ring clearly.
Open · ×-0-2-2-3-0
A suspended 4th is played in open position as × 0 2 2 3 0: index finger on the D string at fret 2, middle finger on the G string at fret 2 and ring finger on the B string at fret 3. The A and high e strings ring open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (1) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 1 | E (5) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 2 | A (1) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (4) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (5) |
5th fret · 5-5-7-7-5-5
A suspended 4th is played at the 5th fret as 5 5 7 7 5 5: barre your index finger across fret 5, ring finger on the D string at fret 7 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 5 | 1 (barre) | A (1) |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 1 (barre) | D (4) |
| 4 (D) | 7 | 3 | A (1) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 4 | D (4) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 1 (barre) | E (5) |
| 1 (e) | 5 | 1 (barre) | A (1) |
5th fret · 5-7-7-7-5-5
A suspended 4th is played at the 5th fret as 5 7 7 7 5 5: barre your index finger across fret 5, middle finger on the A string at fret 7, ring finger on the D string at fret 7 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 7.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 5 | 1 (barre) | A (1) |
| 5 (A) | 7 | 2 | E (5) |
| 4 (D) | 7 | 3 | A (1) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 4 | D (4) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 1 (barre) | E (5) |
| 1 (e) | 5 | 1 (barre) | A (1) |
Asus4/D inversion
A suspended 4th is played in open position as × × 0 2 3 0: index finger on the G string at fret 2 and middle finger on the B string at fret 3. The D and high e strings ring open. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (4) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 1 | A (1) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 2 | D (4) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (5) |
Why it sounds like that
A suspended 4th uses the formula 1, 4, 5. The perfect 4th between A and D replaces the major 3rd, creating an open, unresolved sound. Compare it to A major, which contains C♯ instead of D.
What goes wrong with A suspended 4th?
- The low E string rings out and muddies the voicing; mute it with your thumb.
- Your index finger flattens and deadens the open D string next to it.
- The B string buzzes because your middle finger is too far from the fret.
When to use it
A suspended 4th works as a substitute for A major in the I–IV–V–I progression in A major (A–D–E–A). It suits folk, rock, and country strumming where the suspended sound adds motion.
Changing to and from A suspended 4th
- From A suspended 4th to A major, lift your middle finger off the B string and place it on the 2nd fret of the B string while keeping the other fingers in place.
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 3rd fret gives G suspended 4th.
Which voicing to use
The open position is the easiest and most common shape. The Asus4/D inversion places D in the bass, giving a darker, more grounded sound for transitions.
Other A chords
Common questions
How is A suspended 4th written?
A suspended 4th is written as Asus or Asus4. The symbol 'sus' stands for suspended, indicating the 3rd is replaced by the 4th.
What is the difference between A suspended 4th and A suspended 2nd?
A suspended 4th uses the 4th (D) instead of the 3rd, while A suspended 2nd uses the 2nd (B) instead of the 3rd. The sus4 has a stronger pull to resolve down to the major 3rd.
Can A suspended 4th be used in minor keys?
A suspended 4th can appear in A natural minor, where the 4th is D and the 5th is E. It works as a substitution for A minor in progressions like Am–Dm–Em.