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Guitar chords · Suspended 4th

Gsus4 chord on guitar

Gsus4 (G 4th) has three notes: G, C and D, the , 4 and 5.

Shapes

How to play Gsus4

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

Gsus4 has an , and two : the E shape at 3 and the A shape at fret 10. A movable shape keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • Open

    R44RGCDGCG
  • E shape · fret 3

    3frR5R45RGDGCDG
  • A shape · fret 10

    10fr×R5R45GDGCD
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes Gsus4 suspended 4th

A sus4 chord replaces the 3rd with the 4th. The 4th wants to fall back to the 3rd, so a sus4 chord usually resolves to the major chord on the same .

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The 4th makes Gsus4 a 4th chord; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. GRroot
  2. C4essential
  3. D5optional
EADGBE0135791215GGGGGGGGGCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCD
  • G, the root
  • Other chord tones

Gsus4 usually resolves to G, as the 4th falls to the 3rd.

Keys

Keys with Gsus4

Gsus4 belongs to ten keys: C major (Vsus4), G major (Isus4), E♭ major (IIIsus4), B♭ major (VIsus4), F major (IIsus4), A minor (VIIsus4), E minor (IIIsus4), C minor (Vsus4), G minor (Isus4) and D minor (IVsus4).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Slash chords

Gsus4 over another bass note

A keeps Gsus4 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • Gsus4/D

    Gsus4 with its 5th, D, in the bass.

Questions

Gsus4, in short

What notes are in the Gsus4 chord?
Gsus4 (G 4th) has three notes: G, C and D, the , 4 and 5.
How do you play Gsus4 on guitar?
Gsus4 has an , and two : the E shape at 3 and the A shape at fret 10.
What key is Gsus4 in?
Gsus4 belongs to ten keys: C major (Vsus4), G major (Isus4), E♭ major (IIIsus4), B♭ major (VIsus4), F major (IIsus4), A minor (VIIsus4), E minor (IIIsus4), C minor (Vsus4), G minor (Isus4) and D minor (IVsus4).
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