Gsus2 Guitar Chord

Gsus2 is the G suspended second chord. It has three notes: G, A and D. It is an open G with every B taken out and an A put in instead, so the chord loses its major third and sits open and unsettled.

Gsus2 guitar chord diagram, standard, played 300033

The open G grip with the index finger lifted off the A string. Three fingers all sit on the 3rd fret and three strings ring open.

How to play Gsus2, step by step

  1. Middle finger: 3rd fret, low E string
  2. Ring finger: 3rd fret, B string
  3. Little finger: 3rd fret, high E string
  4. Let the A, D and G strings ring open.
  5. Strum all six strings.

This is the fuller G shape without the index finger on the A string. Leaving that string open is the whole difference between G and Gsus2.

More ways to play Gsus2

There are 3 common Gsus2 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.

Barre at fret 10
Gsus2 guitar chord diagram, barre at fret 10, played x 10 12 12 10 10

Bright and bell like this far up the neck, though the A string root keeps some body under it.

Easier, small barre
Gsus2 guitar chord diagram, easier, small barre, played xx5785

Rounder and easier to control than the 10th fret barre; the everyday Gsus2 for most players.

When it refuses to ring

The A on the B string vanishes
That note is the suspended second. It hides under the middle of the barre, and without it the chord is just a G5 power chord. Press nearer the fret wire until it speaks.
Everything is cramped at the 12th fret
The frets are at their narrowest here. Point the ring and pinky tips straight down; flat fingers simply do not fit.
The high E note is dull
The far end of a long barre lifts easily. Make sure the index presses evenly all the way across to the first string.

What makes it a Gsus2

G · A · D 1 2 5

Gsus2 removes the third, B, from the G major triad and puts A in its place. A sits one whole step above G, close enough to blur rather than clash, and the ear hears the chord as unfinished until the B returns. Since G chords appear everywhere, this color is useful in the keys of G, C and D whenever a plain G needs some inner movement.

With no third in the way, Gsus2 also resolves into G minor without changing anything else, which makes it a quiet pivot between the two.

Gsus2 vs Gsus4

Gsus4 replaces the third of G with C and leans on it; you can hear it begging to fall back to B. Gsus2 replaces the same note with A and barely leans at all. Gsus4 can also be played in open position, while the Gsus2 shapes on this page live up the neck, so the choice is often practical: sus4 for open chord songs, sus2 when you are already playing higher.

Gsus2 in major keys

Every note of Gsus2 sits inside these keys. See how it works alongside the other chords in each one.

Gsus2 chord questions

Is there an open Gsus2 chord?

This page sticks to the movable shapes. Other fingerings with open strings exist online in several variants; whatever the grip, the notes to check for are G, A and D and nothing else.

Which Gsus2 shape should I learn first?

The four string shape at the 5th fret. It avoids the long barre, sits mid neck, and covers almost every situation that asks for this chord.

Is Gsus2 major or minor?

Neither. The B that decides the question is replaced by A, so the chord stays open until it resolves.

What is the difference between Gsus2 and Gsus4?

Gsus2 suspends A, one whole step above the root; Gsus4 suspends C, a fourth above. The sus4 is more insistent, the sus2 more spacious.

What does Gsus2 resolve to?

G, once the A moves up to B. It can equally settle into Gm, because nothing in the chord contradicts the minor third.

Chords to learn next

Other G chords