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B suspended 4th chord on guitar (Bsus4)
Also called or written Bsus4, Bsus or B Suspended
B suspended 4th contains B, E and F♯. The 7th fret barre shape is identical to B♭ suspended 4th moved up one fret, with the root on the low E string.
How it is built
Formula 1, 4, 5
- Root positionB–E–F♯Bsus47-7-9-9-7-7
- First inversionE–F♯–BBsus4/E×-7-9-9-7-7
- Second inversionF♯–B–EBsus4/F♯2-2-2-4-×-×
How do you play a B suspended 4th chord on guitar?
B suspended 4th is played at the 7th fret as 7 7 9 9 7 7: barre your index finger across fret 7, ring finger on the D string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 5 (A) | 7 | 1 (barre) | E (4) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 3 | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 4 | E (4) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
IntermediateThe full barre at the 7th fret must hold down the low E and high e while the ring and pinky reach the 9th fret.
7th fret · 7-9-9-9-7-7
B suspended 4th is played at the 7th fret as 7 9 9 9 7 7: barre your index finger across 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.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 2 | F♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 3 | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 4 | E (4) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
Bsus4/E inversion
B suspended 4th is played at the 7th fret as × 7 9 9 7 7: barre your index finger across fret 7, ring finger on the D string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 9. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 7 | 1 (barre) | E (4) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 3 | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 4 | E (4) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
Bsus4/F♯ inversion · fret 2
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. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 1 (barre) | E (4) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 4 | B (1) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Bsus4/F♯ inversion · fret 7
B suspended 4th is played at the 7th fret as × 9 9 9 7 7: barre your index finger across 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. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 2 | F♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 3 | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 4 | E (4) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
Why it sounds like that
B suspended 4th is built 1, 4, 5 from B. The perfect 4th between B and E replaces the major 3rd, creating a suspended, unresolved quality. Compare it with B major, which has D♯ instead of E.
What goes wrong with B suspended 4th?
- Letting the high e string buzz under the barre; adjust the index finger angle.
- Allowing the ring finger to mute the G string; keep it arched over that string.
When to use it
B suspended 4th works in B major progressions like B–E–F♯–B, the I–IV–V–I. It suits rock and pop when you want a suspended colour before resolving to B major.
Changing to and from B suspended 4th
- Slide the shape down two frets to the 5th fret to play A suspended 4th.
- Move to B major by lifting the ring and pinky, then fretting the D string at the 9th fret and the G string at the 8th fret.
Which voicing to use
The 7th fret barre voicing is the default and keeps the root B in the bass. The Bsus4/E inversion puts the 4th in the bass for a lighter, less grounded sound.
Other B chords
Common questions
What is the difference between B suspended 4th and B suspended 2nd?
B suspended 4th replaces the major 3rd with a perfect 4th, E. B suspended 2nd replaces it with a major 2nd, C♯, giving a more open, airy sound.
Can I play B suspended 4th without a barre?
Yes, the Bsus4/E inversion omits the low E string and uses a partial barre on the top five strings. But it still requires barring at the 7th fret.
How do I avoid muting the high e string?
Roll your index finger slightly onto its side so the bony edge presses the strings, and keep the finger straight across the fret.