Chord reference
Suspended second
1 – 2 – 5 · example: Csus2 = C – D – G
The third replaced by the second, so the chord is neither major nor minor.
Written as a formula it is 1 – 2 – 5: the degrees of the major scale it keeps, with any that are altered marked. On C that gives Csus2 = C, D, G.
How it is built
- Gsecond
- Dmajor
- Croot
The intervals above the root
| Chord tone | Interval above the root | Semitones | Note in Csus2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perfect unison | 0 | C |
| 2 | Major second | 2 | D |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | G |
Inversions
The same notes can be stacked in any vertical order. The chord keeps its name; what changes is which note is in the bass. See chord inversions for why that matters.
| Position | Notes | Written as |
|---|---|---|
| Root position | C – D – G | Csus2 |
| First inversion | D – G – C | Csus2/D |
| Second inversion | G – C – D | Csus2/G |
This chord on every root
| Root | Symbol | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| C | Csus2 | C – D – G |
| D♭ | D♭sus2 | D♭ – E♭ – A♭ |
| D | Dsus2 | D – E – A |
| E♭ | E♭sus2 | E♭ – F – B♭ |
| E | Esus2 | E – F♯ – B |
| F | Fsus2 | F – G – C |
| F♯ | F♯sus2 | F♯ – G♯ – C♯ |
| G | Gsus2 | G – A – D |
| A♭ | A♭sus2 | A♭ – B♭ – E♭ |
| A | Asus2 | A – B – E |
| B♭ | B♭sus2 | B♭ – C – F |
| B | Bsus2 | B – C♯ – F♯ |