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F suspended 4th chord on guitar (Fsus4)
Also called or written Fsus4, Fsus or F Suspended
F suspended 4th contains F, B♭ and C. The 1st 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♭–CFsus41-1-3-3-1-1
- First inversionB♭–C–FFsus4/B♭×-1-3-3-1-1
- Second inversionC–F–B♭Fsus4/C×-3-3-3-1-1
How do you play an F suspended 4th chord on guitar?
F suspended 4th is played at the 1st fret as 1 1 3 3 1 1: barre your index finger across fret 1, ring finger on the D string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (4) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 3 | F (1) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 4 | B♭ (4) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 1 (barre) | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
IntermediateThe full barre at the 1st fret must hold down the low E and high e while the ring and pinky stretch to the 3rd fret.
1st fret · 1-3-3-3-1-1
F suspended 4th is played at the 1st fret as 1 3 3 3 1 1: barre your index finger across fret 1, middle finger on the A string at fret 3, ring finger on the D string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 2 | C (5) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 3 | F (1) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 4 | B♭ (4) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 1 (barre) | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
13th fret · 13-13-15-15-13-13
F suspended 4th is played at the 13th fret as 13 13 15 15 13 13: barre your index finger across fret 13, ring finger on the D string at fret 15 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 15.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 13 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | 13 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (4) |
| 4 (D) | 15 | 3 | F (1) |
| 3 (G) | 15 | 4 | B♭ (4) |
| 2 (B) | 13 | 1 (barre) | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | 13 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
13th fret · 13-15-15-15-13-13
F suspended 4th is played at the 13th fret as 13 15 15 15 13 13: barre your index finger across fret 13, middle finger on the A string at fret 15, ring finger on the D string at fret 15 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 15.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 13 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | 15 | 2 | C (5) |
| 4 (D) | 15 | 3 | F (1) |
| 3 (G) | 15 | 4 | B♭ (4) |
| 2 (B) | 13 | 1 (barre) | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | 13 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
Fsus4/B♭ inversion
F suspended 4th is played at the 1st fret as × 1 3 3 1 1: barre your index finger across fret 1, ring finger on the D string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 3. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (4) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 3 | F (1) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 4 | B♭ (4) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 1 (barre) | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
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 pop when you want a suspended colour before resolving to F major.
Changing to and from F suspended 4th
- Slide the shape up one fret to the 2nd fret to play F♯ suspended 4th.
- Move to F major by lifting the ring and pinky, then fretting the D string at the 3rd fret and the G string at the 2nd fret.
Which voicing to use
The 1st fret barre voicing is the default and keeps the root F in the bass. The Fsus4/B♭ inversion puts the 4th in the bass for a softer, less grounded sound.
Other F chords
Common questions
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 Fsus4/B♭ inversion omits the low E string and uses a partial barre on the top five strings. But it still requires barring at the 1st 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.