Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Chord
E Suspended Second Chord (Esus2)
Open, airy and ambiguous. The third is replaced by the second, so the chord is neither major nor minor.
- Esus2
- 3 notes
- 024400
1Composition: what it contains
E – F♯ – B
- Symbol
- Esus2
- Also written
- Esus2, E2
- Formula
- 1 2 5
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | unison | 0 |
| 2 | F♯ | major second | 2 |
| 5 | B | perfect fifth | 7 |
2Appearance: diagrams and sound
On the guitar
024400open position
xx2452fret 2
x74457fret 4
x79977fret 7
12-9-9-9-12-12fret 9On the ukulele
4422fret 2
4677fret 4
9677fret 6On the piano
On the staff
On bass and as an arpeggio
3Indications: what it is used for
Very common in pop, rock, worship music, folk and ambient, often as a colour on the I, IV or V chord or as a decorative movement from the major chord (major–sus2–major). It fits modal music where you do not want to commit to a major or minor third. Because it consists of root, second and fifth, it is also an inversion of a sus4 chord built on the fifth. In jazz it is used as a quartal, open-sounding voicing.
4Dosage: how to practise it
On guitar, learn the open sus2 shapes and practise alternating them with the major and minor shapes on the same root, then use barre shapes with the second on top. On piano, play root–second–fifth and alternate with the major and minor triad, hands separately at 70 BPM. Then try progressions where every chord is sus2 to hear the floating effect. Five minutes daily of 'hammer-on decorations' from sus2 to major on guitar builds a useful songwriting habit.
5Warnings and common mistakes
Do not confuse sus2 with add9: add9 keeps the third and adds the ninth, while sus2 removes the third entirely. A sus2 chord is also often written as just '2' on some charts. Since sus2 and sus4 can share the same notes (an inversion relationship), make sure the bass note gives the right root. The second does not need to resolve, unlike the classical sus4, but avoid adding a third on top by accident.
6Interactions with chords, scales and keys
Inversions
- Inversion 1 · Esus2/F♯ · F♯ – B – E
- Inversion 2 · Esus2/B · B – E – F♯
Scales to play over Esus2
7Other presentations available
The same chord from every note
Csus2 C♯sus2 Dsus2 E♭sus2 Fsus2 F♯sus2 Gsus2 A♭sus2 Asus2 B♭sus2 Bsus2
Other chords on E
E Em Edim Eaug Esus4 E5 E6 Em6 E7 Emaj7 Em7 Em7♭5 Edim7 Em(maj7) E7sus4 Eadd9 Em(add9) E6/9 E9 Emaj9 Em9 E11 Em11 E13 E7♭9 E7♯9 E7♯5 E7♭5
Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.