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C♯ suspended 4th chord on guitar (C♯sus4)
Also called or written C♯sus4, C♯sus or C♯ Suspended
C♯ suspended 4th contains C♯, F♯ and G♯. The 9th fret barre shape puts the root on the low E string and requires a full index barre.
How it is built
Formula 1, 4, 5
- Root positionC♯–F♯–G♯C♯sus49-9-11-11-9-9
- First inversionF♯–G♯–C♯C♯sus4/F♯×-9-11-11-9-9
- Second inversionG♯–C♯–F♯C♯sus4/G♯4-4-4-6-×-×
How do you play a C♯ suspended 4th chord on guitar?
C♯ suspended 4th is played at the 9th fret as 9 9 11 11 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 9, ring finger on the D string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (4) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 4 | F♯ (4) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
IntermediateThe full barre at the 9th fret must hold down the low E and high e while the ring and pinky stretch to the 11th fret.
9th fret · 9-11-11-11-9-9
C♯ suspended 4th is played at the 9th fret as 9 11 11 11 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 9, middle finger on the A string at fret 11, ring finger on the D string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 2 | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 4 | F♯ (4) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
C♯sus4/F♯ inversion
C♯ suspended 4th is played at the 9th fret as × 9 11 11 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 9, ring finger on the D string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 11. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (4) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 4 | F♯ (4) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
C♯sus4/G♯ inversion · fret 4
C♯ suspended 4th is played at the 4th fret as 4 4 4 6 × ×: barre your index finger across fret 4 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 6. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (4) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 4 | C♯ (1) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
C♯sus4/G♯ inversion · fret 9
C♯ suspended 4th is played at the 9th fret as × 11 11 11 9 9: barre your index finger across fret 9, middle finger on the A string at fret 11, ring finger on the D string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 11. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 11 | 2 | G♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 4 | F♯ (4) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
C♯ suspended 4th is built 1, 4, 5 from C♯. The perfect 4th between C♯ and F♯ replaces the major 3rd, creating an unresolved sound. Compare it with C♯ major, which has E♯ instead of F♯.
What goes wrong with C♯ suspended 4th?
- Letting the high e string buzz under the barre; roll the index finger slightly onto its side.
- Allowing the ring finger to touch the G string and mute it; keep it arched over that string.
When to use it
C♯ suspended 4th fits C♯ major progressions like C♯–F♯–G♯–C♯, the I–IV–V–I. Use it in rock or metal when you want a suspended colour before resolving to C♯ major.
Changing to and from C♯ suspended 4th
- Slide the shape down one fret to the 8th fret to play C suspended 4th.
- Move to C♯ major by lifting the ring and pinky, then fretting the D string at the 11th fret and the G string at the 10th fret.
Which voicing to use
The 9th fret barre voicing is the default and keeps the root C♯ in the bass. The C♯sus4/F♯ inversion puts the 4th in the bass for a softer, less grounded sound.
Other C♯ chords
Common questions
How is C♯ suspended 4th written?
C♯ suspended 4th is written C♯sus or C♯sus4. On a keyboard, type C# for the root. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between C♯ suspended 4th and C♯ suspended 2nd?
C♯ suspended 4th replaces the major 3rd with a perfect 4th, F♯. C♯ suspended 2nd replaces it with a major 2nd, D♯, giving a more open, airy sound.
Can I play C♯ suspended 4th without a barre?
Yes, the C♯sus4/F♯ inversion omits the low E string and uses a partial barre on the top five strings. But it still requires barring at the 9th fret.