Suspended Chords

Let’s look at how to play an A flat suspended 2 chord and an A flat suspended 4 chord on the piano. We’ll also learn the pattern for building any other sus2 and sus4 chords.

What Are Suspended Chords?

There are two main types of suspended chords: sus2 and sus4.

We can build sus2 chords with the first, second and fifth notes of the matching major scale.

We can build sus4 chords with the first, fourth and fifth notes of the matching major scale.

Suspended chords are similar to major chords. We can build major chords using the first, third and fifth notes of the matching major scale. But suspended chords change the middle note. Instead of using the third note of the scale for the middle note of the chord, a sus2 chord uses the second note of the scale, and a sus4 chord uses the fourth note of the scale.

Chord Types Printable

Learn to play 17 types of piano chords using 12 different root notes with this 35-page PDF! Chords are sorted both by their root note and type.

Get the Printable

How to Play an A Flat Sus2 Chord on the Piano

So to play an A flat sus2 chord on the piano, we’ll play the first, second and fifth notes of the A flat major scale:

A♭ – B♭ – E♭

We can use this pattern to build any other suspended second chord, using the first, second and fifth notes of the matching major scale.

How to Play an A Flat Sus4 Chord on the Piano

Now we’ll build an A flat sus4 chord, using the first, fourth and fifth notes of the A flat major scale:

A♭ – D♭ – E♭

We can use this pattern to build any other suspended fourth chord, using the first, fourth and fifth notes of the matching major scale.

Chord Symbols

Chord symbols are abbreviations used to indicate chords.

An A flat suspended second chord symbol is:

A♭sus2

An A flat suspended fourth chord symbol is:

A♭sus4

If you see a chord labeled A♭sus, without a number after it, it usually indicates a sus4 chord.

Other Chord Types

Some of the other chord types you can learn are:

Major
Minor
Augmented
Diminished
Second
Minor Second
Fifth
Sixth
Minor Sixth
Seventh
Minor Seventh
Major Seventh
Ninth
Minor Ninth
Major Ninth

Conclusion

Now you know how to play A flat suspended 2 and A flat suspended 4 chords on the piano! And you can use this knowledge to build other sus2 and sus4 chords.

Suspended chords are really fun to use at the piano, since they work well as chord substitutions for major and minor chords.