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E suspended 4th chord on guitar (Esus4)
Also called or written Esus4, Esus or E Suspended
E suspended 4th is built from E, A, and B. The open shape uses all six strings with two fretted notes, making it one of the easiest sus chords.
How it is built
Formula 1, 4, 5
- Root positionE–A–BEsus40-0-2-2-0-0
- First inversionA–B–EEsus4/A×-0-2-2-0-0
- Second inversionB–E–AEsus4/B×-2-2-2-0-0
How do you play an E suspended 4th chord on guitar?
E suspended 4th is played in open position as 0 0 2 2 0 0: index finger on the D string at fret 2 and middle finger on the G string at fret 2. The low E, A, B and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (4) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 1 | E (1) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 2 | A (4) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
BeginnerThe open shape requires clean fretting of two notes while allowing four open strings to ring clearly.
Open · 0-2-2-2-0-0
E suspended 4th is played in open position as 0 2 2 2 0 0: barre your index finger across fret 2. The low E, B and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | open | — | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 (barre) | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 1 (barre) | E (1) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 1 (barre) | A (4) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
12th fret · 12-12-14-14-12-12
E suspended 4th is played at the 12th fret as 12 12 14 14 12 12: barre your index finger across fret 12, ring finger on the D string at fret 14 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 14.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 12 | 1 (barre) | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 12 | 1 (barre) | A (4) |
| 4 (D) | 14 | 3 | E (1) |
| 3 (G) | 14 | 4 | A (4) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 1 (barre) | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | 12 | 1 (barre) | E (1) |
12th fret · 12-14-14-14-12-12
E suspended 4th is played at the 12th fret as 12 14 14 14 12 12: barre your index finger across fret 12, middle finger on the A string at fret 14, ring finger on the D string at fret 14 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 14.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 12 | 1 (barre) | E (1) |
| 5 (A) | 14 | 2 | B (5) |
| 4 (D) | 14 | 3 | E (1) |
| 3 (G) | 14 | 4 | A (4) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 1 (barre) | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | 12 | 1 (barre) | E (1) |
Esus4/A inversion
E suspended 4th is played in open position as × 0 2 2 0 0: index finger on the D string at fret 2 and middle finger on the G string at fret 2. The A, B 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 (4) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 1 | E (1) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 2 | A (4) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (1) |
Why it sounds like that
E suspended 4th uses the formula 1, 4, 5. The perfect 4th between E and A replaces the major 3rd, creating an open, suspended sound. Compare it to E major, which contains G♯ instead of A.
What goes wrong with E suspended 4th?
- Your index finger flattens and deadens the open A string next to it.
- The D string buzzes because your index finger is too far from the fret.
- Your middle finger touches the open B string and mutes it.
When to use it
E suspended 4th substitutes for E major in the I–IV–V–I progression in E major (E–A–B–E). It suits rock, blues, and folk strumming where the suspended sound adds tension before resolution.
Changing to and from E suspended 4th
- From E suspended 4th to E major, lift your index finger off the D string and place it on the 1st fret of the G string while keeping the other fingers in place.
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 10th fret gives D suspended 4th.
Which voicing to use
The open position is the easiest and most common shape. The Esus4/A inversion places A in the bass, giving a darker, more grounded sound for transitions.
Other E chords
Common questions
How is E suspended 4th written?
E suspended 4th is written as Esus or Esus4. The symbol 'sus' stands for suspended, indicating the 3rd is replaced by the 4th.
What is the difference between E suspended 4th and E major?
E suspended 4th replaces the major 3rd (G♯) with the perfect 4th (A). This removes the major quality and creates a suspended, unresolved sound that wants to resolve down to G♯.
Can E suspended 4th be used in minor keys?
E suspended 4th can appear in E natural minor, where the 4th is A and the 5th is B. It works as a substitution for E minor in progressions like Em–Am–Bm.