Fsus4 Guitar Chord

Fsus4 is the F suspended fourth chord. It has three notes: F, B♭ and C. The standard shape is the six string F barre with the G string note raised one fret, so it is exactly as demanding as F itself: if your barre chords work, this works. There is also a four string version with no barre at all for everyone still getting there.

The six string F barre with the suspension on the G string. Coming from F, only that one note moves, up one fret.

How to play Fsus4, step by step

Index finger: press flat across the low E to high E strings at fret 1
Middle finger: 3rd fret, A string
Ring finger: 3rd fret, D string
Pinky finger: 3rd fret, G string
Strum all six strings.

Coming from the F barre, the only note that changes is on the G string, up one fret from A to B♭. If the full barre is not there yet, start with the no barre shape below.

More ways to play Fsus4

There are 3 common Fsus4 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.

Fsus4 guitar chord diagram, easier, no barre, played xx3566 — Easier, no barre

Fsus4 guitar chord diagram, barre at fret 8, played x 8 10 10 11 8 — Barre at fret 8

When the barre fights back

High E is dead under the barre: Roll the index onto its outer edge and pull back with the arm, not just the thumb. The thin strings need the firm side of the finger, not the soft pad.
The middle of the chord buzzes: Three fingers share the 3rd fret. Set them close behind the fret in a slight diagonal so none of them lies flat.
The whole chord fades after a few seconds: Grip fatigue. Release between strums; the barre only needs pressure while the strings are ringing. Constant squeezing wears the hand out fast.

What makes it an Fsus4

F · B♭ · C 1 4 5

A sus4 chord suspends its third, replacing it with the note a half step higher. Fsus4 keeps the root and fifth of F major, F and C, and swaps the third, A, for B♭. The result belongs to neither major nor minor and carries a built in lean: the B♭ presses down toward A, so Fsus4 resolves naturally to F. It shows up in the keys of F, B♭ and C, usually as a one bar decoration of the F chord.

Fsus4 vs Fsus2

Fsus4 replaces the third of F with B♭, just above it; Fsus2 replaces it with G, a step below. The sus4 sounds strained and ready to resolve, the sus2 sounds neutral and airy. On guitar both are barre territory at the 1st fret, so the choice is purely about sound: reach for Fsus4 when the music should lean back into F, and Fsus2 when it should simply breathe.

Fsus4 chord questions

Is Fsus4 harder than F?

No. It is the same six string barre with the fretted notes rearranged at the 3rd fret. If F works, Fsus4 works the same day.

Can I play Fsus4 without a barre?

Yes. The shape on the top four strings starting at the 3rd fret uses one finger per string and no barre.

What is the difference between Fsus4 and Fsus2?

One note. Fsus4 uses B♭, above the missing third; Fsus2 uses G, below it. Sus4 is the tense one.

What does Fsus4 resolve to?

F, most of the time. The B♭ falls a half step to A. It resolves to F minor just as well, with B♭ falling to A♭.

Why is Fsus4 marked hard?

Only because the standard shape needs a full barre at the 1st fret, where the strings are stiffest. The chord itself is simple; the barre is the hurdle.