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C suspended 2nd chord

  1. Cdo
  2. Dre
  3. Gsol
Root positionRight hand 1-2-5

Csus2 chord notes

C suspended 2nd replaces the third with the second, two semitones above the root. It sounds open and airy rather than happy or sad, and Csus2 often sits under a melody for a whole bar.

NoteInterval from the rootSemitones
CdoRoot10
DreMajor second22
GsolPerfect fifth57
All piano chords

Csus2 chord inversions

An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using Csus2's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.

  1. Root position

    C, D, G

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

  2. First inversion

    D, G, C

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

  3. Second inversion

    G, C, D

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

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Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Csus2 chord?

C suspended 2nd (Csus2) is C, D, G. In solfège that's do, re, sol.

Which fingers play Csus2?

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

Is Csus2 the same as an add9 chord?

Close, but not the same. Csus2 has no third, while add9 keeps the third and adds the same note an octave higher, so add9 still sounds major.