Explore chords · Ukulele
B♭ suspended 2nd chord on ukulele (B♭sus2)
Also called or written B♭sus2 or B♭
B♭ suspended 2nd is built from B♭, C, and F. The open position keeps all four strings ringing, making it one of the easiest sus2 chords on the ukulele.
How it is built
Formula 1, 2, 5
How do you play a B♭ suspended 2nd chord on ukulele?
B♭ suspended 2nd is played in open position as 3 0 1 1: ring finger on the G string at fret 3, index finger on the E string at fret 1 and middle finger on the A string at fret 1. The C string rings open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | open | — | C (2) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (5) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
BeginnerThe ring finger on fret 3 must clear string 3, which stays open, without muting it.
B♭sus2/C inversion · 3-0-1-3
B♭ suspended 2nd is played in open position as 3 0 1 3: middle finger on the G string at fret 3, index finger on the E string at fret 1 and ring finger on the A string at fret 3. The C string rings open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | open | — | C (2) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (5) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 3 | C (2) |
8th fret
B♭ suspended 2nd is played at the 8th fret as × 10 8 8: ring finger on the C string at fret 10, index finger on the E string at fret 8 and middle finger on the A string at fret 8. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 1 | C (2) |
| 1 (A) | 8 | 2 | F (5) |
B♭sus2/C inversion · ×-0-1-1
B♭ suspended 2nd is played in open position as × 0 1 1: index finger on the E string at fret 1 and middle finger on the A string at fret 1. The C string rings open. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (C) | open | — | C (2) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (5) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
B♭sus2/F inversion
B♭ suspended 2nd is played at the 5th fret as 5 5 6 ×: index finger on the G string at fret 5, middle finger on the C string at fret 5 and ring finger on the E string at fret 6. The A string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 5 | 1 | C (2) |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 2 | F (5) |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
B♭ suspended 2nd uses the formula 1, 2, 5: root B♭, major second C, and perfect fifth F. The major second replaces the third, so the chord has neither major nor minor quality. Compare it to B♭ major, which contains D instead of C.
What goes wrong with B♭ suspended 2nd?
- Letting the ring finger lean on string 3 and kill the open C.
- Pressing the index and middle fingers too far from the fret, causing a buzz.
- Strumming with too much force and drowning the open strings.
When to use it
B♭ suspended 2nd works as a substitute for B♭ major in the I–IV–V–I progression B♭–E♭–F–B♭ in B♭ major. It suits folk, pop, and ballads where a suspended, airy quality is needed. Use it before E♭ major to create a gentle lift.
Changing to and from B♭ suspended 2nd
- Move to B♭ major by lifting the middle finger and fretting string 1 at fret 3 with the ring finger.
- From B♭ suspended 2nd, shift to F major by moving the ring finger to string 3 fret 2 and the index finger to string 2 fret 1.
Which voicing to use
The open position puts B♭ in the bass and is the most straightforward voicing. The B♭sus2/C inversion at ×-0-1-1 places C in the bass for a stepwise, darker feel, while the 8th-fret shape keeps B♭ in the bass but in a higher register for a brighter sound.
Other B♭ chords
Common questions
How is B♭ suspended 2nd written?
B♭ suspended 2nd is written as B♭ or B♭sus2. The ASCII root spelling is Bb. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Why does the open position use all four strings?
All four open strings are chord tones: B♭, C, F, and B♭. The voicing is complete without any mutes.
What is the difference between B♭ suspended 2nd and B♭ add 9?
B♭ suspended 2nd has no third, while B♭ add 9 includes the major third D along with the ninth C. The sus2 chord sounds open and unresolved; the add 9 chord sounds fuller and more consonant.