Absus2 Guitar Chord

Absus2 is the A flat suspended second chord. It has three notes: A♭, B♭ and E♭. It also answers to G#sus2, the sharp spelling of the same chord. The standard barre sits at the 11th fret, about as high as barre chords go, so the four string shape at the 6th fret is the grip you will actually use most.

The Asus2 barre shape at the 11th fret, the top end of its range. Same grip as every other sus2 barre on the A string, just less room between frets.

How to play Absus2, step by step

Index finger: press flat across the A to high E strings at fret 11
Ring finger: 13th fret, D string
Pinky finger: 13th fret, G string
Strum from the A string down, skipping the low E.

At the 11th fret the frets sit close together, so keep the fingers nearly vertical. If it feels like a squeeze, learn the 6th fret shape first.

More ways to play Absus2

There are 2 common Absus2 shapes in total: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these, easiest first. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.

Absus2 guitar chord diagram, easier, small barre, played xx6896 — Easier, small barre

If it chokes up there

The B♭ on the B string will not sound: The suspended note sits under the weakest stretch of the barre. Lose it and you are left with an A♭5 power chord, so press close behind the 11th fret and check that string alone.
Ring and pinky will not fit at the 13th fret: There is very little room this high. Stand both fingers on their tips, one tucked behind the other, rather than side by side and flat.
The chord drifts sharp: Up here the strings bend out of tune with very little force. Press just hard enough for clean notes; squeezing pulls the whole chord sharp.

What makes it an Absus2

A♭ · B♭ · E♭ 1 2 5

Absus2 is the A♭ major triad with its third, C, replaced by B♭. Root, second and fifth: nothing in the chord says major or minor, so it hangs until the C returns and A♭ lands. A♭ is a piano key more than a guitar key, which is partly why every shape here involves a barre or a stretch rather than open strings.

Expect to need Absus2 in flat keys like A♭, D♭ and E♭, or in capoed arrangements that borrow from them.

Absus2 vs Absus4

Absus2 fills the gap left by the missing third with B♭ from below; Absus4 fills it with D♭ from above. The sus4 sounds like a held breath just before A♭ arrives; the sus2 sounds more like open space. The grips share the same barre position, so switching between them is a one finger change, and both resolve to the same A♭.

Absus2 chord questions

Is G#sus2 the same as Absus2?

Yes. G♯ and A♭ are one pitch, so the two names describe the same chord. Flat keys write it as Absus2, sharp keys as G#sus2.

How can I avoid the 11th fret barre?

Play the four string shape at the 6th fret. The index only needs to sound the D and high E strings there, and the position is far more comfortable.

Is Absus2 major or minor?

Neither. Suspended chords have no third, and the third is the note that makes that call.

What is the difference between Absus2 and Absus4?

Absus2 suspends B♭, a whole step above the root; Absus4 suspends D♭, a fourth above. The sus4 resolves with more urgency, the sus2 hangs more calmly.

What does Absus2 resolve to?

A♭ major most of the time. With no third it can also settle on the minor chord, which guitarists usually spell as G♯ minor.