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E suspended 4th chord

  1. Emi
  2. Ala
  3. Bti
Root positionRight hand 1-4-5

Esus4 chord notes

E suspended 4th replaces the third with the fourth, five semitones above the root. With no third it is neither major nor minor, and it sounds like it's waiting to settle, so Esus4 usually resolves to the major chord.

NoteInterval from the rootSemitones
EmiRoot10
AlaPerfect fourth45
BtiPerfect fifth57
All piano chords

Esus4 chord inversions

An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using Esus4's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.

  1. Root position

    E, A, B

    Right hand
    1-4-5
    Left hand
    5-2-1

  2. First inversion

    A, B, E

    Right hand
    1-2-5
    Left hand
    5-4-1

  3. Second inversion

    B, E, A

    Right hand
    1-2-5
    Left hand
    5-2-1

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Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Esus4 chord?

E suspended 4th (Esus4) is E, A, B. In solfège that's mi, la, ti.

Which fingers play Esus4?

In root position, the right hand plays 1-4-5 and the left hand 5-2-1, counting from the lowest note. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5.

How do I play Esus4 into the major chord?

Keep the root and the fifth down and move only the middle note: the fourth steps down a semitone to the major third. That small move is the whole sound of Esus4 resolving.