A suspended 4th chord

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

Asus4 chord notes

A 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 Asus4 usually resolves to the major chord.

NoteInterval from the rootSemitones
AlaRoot10
DrePerfect fourth45
EmiPerfect fifth57
All piano chords

Asus4 chord inversions

An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using Asus4's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.

  1. Root position

    A, D, E

    Right hand
    1-4-5
    Left hand
    5-2-1
  2. First inversion

    D, E, A

    Right hand
    1-2-5
    Left hand
    5-4-1
  3. Second inversion

    E, A, D

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

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Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Asus4 chord?

A suspended 4th (Asus4) is A, D, E. In solfège that's la, re, mi.

Which fingers play Asus4?

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 Asus4 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 Asus4 resolving.