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F♯ suspended 4th chord on guitar (F♯sus4)
Also called or written F♯sus4, F♯sus or F♯ Suspended
F♯ suspended 4th contains F♯, B and C♯. The 2nd 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 positionF♯–B–C♯F♯sus42-2-4-4-2-2
- First inversionB–C♯–F♯F♯sus4/B×-2-4-4-2-2
- Second inversionC♯–F♯–BF♯sus4/C♯×-4-4-4-2-2
How do you play an F♯ suspended 4th chord on guitar?
F♯ suspended 4th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 2 4 4 2 2: barre your index finger across fret 2, ring finger on the D string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 (barre) | B (4) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 3 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 4 | B (4) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
IntermediateThe full barre at the 2nd fret must hold down the low E and high e while the ring and pinky stretch to the 4th fret.
2nd fret · 2-4-4-4-2-2
F♯ suspended 4th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 4 4 4 2 2: barre your index finger across fret 2, middle finger on the A string at fret 4, ring finger on the D string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 4.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 2 | C♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 3 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 4 | B (4) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
F♯sus4/B inversion
F♯ suspended 4th is played at the 2nd fret as × 2 4 4 2 2: barre your index finger across fret 2, ring finger on the D string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 4. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 1 (barre) | B (4) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 3 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 4 | B (4) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
F♯sus4/C♯ inversion · fret 2
F♯ suspended 4th is played at the 2nd fret as × 4 4 4 2 2: barre your index finger across fret 2, middle finger on the A string at fret 4, ring finger on the D string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 4. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 2 | C♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 3 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | 4 | B (4) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
F♯sus4/C♯ inversion · fret 9
F♯ suspended 4th is played at the 9th fret as 9 9 9 11 × ×: barre your index finger across fret 9 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 11. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 1 (barre) | B (4) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 4 | F♯ (1) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ suspended 4th is built 1, 4, 5 from F♯. The perfect 4th between F♯ and B replaces the major 3rd, creating an unresolved sound. Compare it with F♯ major, which has A♯ instead of B.
What goes wrong with F♯ 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
F♯ suspended 4th fits F♯ major progressions like F♯–B–C♯–F♯, the I–IV–V–I. Use it in rock or metal when you want a suspended colour before resolving to F♯ major.
Changing to and from F♯ suspended 4th
- Slide the shape down one fret to the 1st fret to play F suspended 4th.
- Move to F♯ major by lifting the ring and pinky, then fretting the D string at the 4th fret and the G string at the 3rd fret.
Which voicing to use
The 2nd fret barre voicing is the default and keeps the root F♯ in the bass. The F♯sus4/B inversion puts the 4th in the bass for a softer, less grounded sound.
Other F♯ chords
Common questions
How is F♯ suspended 4th written?
F♯ suspended 4th is written F♯sus or F♯sus4. On a keyboard, type F# for the root. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between F♯ suspended 4th and F♯ suspended 2nd?
F♯ suspended 4th replaces the major 3rd with a perfect 4th, B. F♯ suspended 2nd replaces it with a major 2nd, G♯, giving a more open, airy sound.
Can I play F♯ suspended 4th without a barre?
Yes, the F♯sus4/B inversion omits the low E string and uses a partial barre on the top five strings. But it still requires barring at the 2nd fret.