Esus4 Guitar Chord

Esus4 is the E suspended fourth chord. It has three notes: E, A and B. The open shape lines up three fingers in the 2nd fret and lets every string ring, so it is one of the biggest sounding easy chords on the guitar. Compared with plain E, only one note moves: the G♯ on the G string climbs one fret to A.

Three fingers in a row at the 2nd fret with open strings ringing on both sides. From here, plain E is one small finger change away.

How to play Esus4, step by step

Middle finger: 2nd fret, A string
Ring finger: 2nd fret, D string
Pinky finger: 2nd fret, G string
Strum all six strings.

To resolve to E, lift the pinky and let your free index finger take the 1st fret of the G string. Practicing that swap is practicing the chord's real job.

More ways to play Esus4

There are 3 common Esus4 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.

Esus4 guitar chord diagram, compact, frets 2 to 5, played xx2455 — Compact, frets 2 to 5

Esus4 guitar chord diagram, barre at fret 7, played x 7 9 9 10 7 — Barre at fret 7

Songs that use the Esus4 chord

If some strings will not ring

Open B or high E gets muted: The pinky on the G string leans over. Come up onto the fingertips so the top two strings have room to ring.
G string buzzes: The pinky is doing the work there and it is the weakest finger. Move it snug behind the 2nd fret and press straight down.
The middle of the chord sounds choked: Three fingers share one fret. Stagger them slightly so each fingertip lands on its own string instead of piling onto its neighbor.

What makes it an Esus4

E · A · B 1 4 5

In a sus4 chord the fourth takes the third's seat. Esus4 keeps E and B, the root and fifth of E major, and plays A in place of the third, G♯. The missing third means the chord is neither happy nor sad; the A hovers one half step above G♯ and presses to fall back down. Resolve it and you get the familiar Esus4 to E release. It turns up in the keys of E, A and B, usually stretched across a bar before landing on E.

Esus4 vs Esus2

Both remove the third of E; they just replace it with different neighbors. Esus4 uses A, a half step above the third, and sounds tense and expectant. Esus2 uses F♯, a whole step below, and sounds spacious. On guitar there is a practical gap too: Esus4 is an easy open shape, while the open Esus2 needs a wider stretch across the 2nd and 4th frets. That is one reason you hear Esus4 far more often.

Esus4 chord questions

Is Esus4 easy to play?

Yes. Three fingers side by side in the 2nd fret, all six strings strummed, no barre. It is barely harder than E itself.

What is the difference between E and Esus4?

One note. E has G♯ on the G string at the 1st fret; Esus4 raises it to A at the 2nd fret. That single half step removes the major third and adds the tension.

Do you strum every string in Esus4?

Yes. All six strings belong to the chord, including both open E strings.

What does Esus4 resolve to?

Almost always E, and sometimes E minor. The suspended A can fall a half step to G♯ for E major or a whole step to G for E minor; the shape works either way.

Why do sus4 chords sound unfinished?

The fourth sits right next to where the third should be, and your ear expects it to fall. Until it does, the chord feels held in the air. Songs use that feeling to build a moment before the release.