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B♭ suspended 4th chord on ukulele (B♭sus4)
Also called or written B♭sus4, B♭sus or B♭ Suspended
B♭ suspended 4th is built from B♭, E♭, and F. The default voicing spans four frets and uses all four fingers, so it is not a beginner shape.
How it is built
Formula 1, 4, 5
- Root positionB♭–E♭–FB♭sus410-10-11-×
- First inversionE♭–F–B♭B♭sus4/E♭3-3-1-1
- Second inversionF–B♭–E♭B♭sus4/F×-5-6-6
How do you play a B♭ suspended 4th chord on ukulele?
B♭ suspended 4th is played at the 1st fret as 3 3 1 1: ring finger on the G string at fret 3, pinky finger on the C string at fret 3, index finger on the E string at fret 1 and middle finger on the A string at fret 1.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 3 | B♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 4 | E♭ (4) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (5) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
IntermediateThe pinky must fret the C string at fret 3 while the index and middle hold fret 1, stretching the hand across four frets.
B♭sus4/E♭ inversion · ×-3-1-1
B♭ suspended 4th is played at the 1st fret as × 3 1 1: ring finger on the C string at fret 3, index finger on the E string at fret 1 and middle finger on the A string at fret 1. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 3 | E♭ (4) |
| 2 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (5) |
| 1 (A) | 1 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
B♭sus4/F inversion
B♭ suspended 4th is played at the 5th fret as × 5 6 6: index finger on the C string at fret 5, middle finger on the E string at fret 6 and ring finger on the A string at fret 6. The G string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | muted | — | — |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 1 | F (5) |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 3 | E♭ (4) |
10th fret
B♭ suspended 4th is played at the 10th fret as 10 10 11 ×: index finger on the G string at fret 10, middle finger on the C string at fret 10 and ring finger on the E string at fret 11. The A string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 10 | 1 | F (5) |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 2 | B♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 11 | 3 | E♭ (4) |
| 1 (A) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
The formula 1, 4, 5 replaces the third with a perfect fourth, removing major or minor quality. The fourth interval creates the suspended sound. Compare with B♭ major, which has D instead of E♭.
What goes wrong with B♭ suspended 4th?
- Let the pinky collapse and mute the E string.
- Press the index finger too hard, causing the A string to buzz.
When to use it
B♭ suspended 4th works as a tonic substitute in B♭ major, often in the I–IV–V–I progression: B♭–E♭–F–B♭. It suits pop and rock where the suspension adds motion. Use it before a B♭ major to create a lift.
Changing to and from B♭ suspended 4th
- Slide the whole shape up one fret to the 2nd fret to play B suspended 4th.
Which voicing to use
The 1st fret voicing has B♭ in the bass and is the most complete. The B♭sus4/E♭ inversion puts E♭ in the bass for a softer, less grounded sound. The B♭sus4/F inversions place F in the bass, adding tension that wants to resolve upward.
Other B♭ chords
Common questions
How is B♭ suspended 4th written?
B♭ suspended 4th is written B♭sus or B♭sus4. The ASCII root is Bb, so Bbsus and Bbsus4 are also used. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between B♭sus4 and B♭sus2?
B♭sus4 replaces the third with a fourth (E♭), while B♭sus2 replaces it with a second (C). B♭sus4 has a stronger pull to resolve to the major third.
Can I use B♭ suspended 4th in place of B♭ major?
Yes, but only when the melody does not need the major third. The suspension creates a floating quality that resolves when you return to B♭ major.