Csus2 Piano Chord

Csus2 is the C suspended second chord. It has three notes: C, D and G. All three are white keys. The third of the chord, E, has been replaced by D, which is why it sounds neither major nor minor.

1C2D5GC4C5

C at the bottom, then D and G. Right hand 1-2-5, left hand 5-3-1. Every key here is white.

How to play Csus2 on piano, step by step

  1. Start on middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): C
  3. Index finger (2): D
  4. Little finger (5): G
  5. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 1 an octave lower, or just C on its own as a bass note.

Play C major, then move the middle finger down one white key from E to D. That is the whole chord, and it is worth doing slowly to hear a chord lose its major or minor identity.

Inversions of Csus2

The same 3 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Csus2; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionD G C
Csus2 piano chord diagram, first inversion, D G C
Lighter than root position and less final. A second in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it usually sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionG C D
Csus2 piano chord diagram, second inversion, G C D
Open and slightly unresolved. A fifth in the bass makes the chord sound like a step on the way somewhere, which is mostly how it is used.

If it sounds wrong

The chord sounds like C major
The middle note is D, not E. If it still sounds major, the middle finger has not moved far enough.
The bottom two notes clash
C and D are next to each other, which is meant to sound slightly open rather than smooth. If it sounds harsh, play the chord higher up the keyboard.
The middle finger is cramped
C and D are adjacent, so the thumb and middle finger are close together. Use the index finger instead if that feels better; either is correct.

What makes it a Csus2

C · D · G 1 2 5

Csus2 is C, D and G: the root, the second and the fifth. Replacing the third with the second is what suspends the chord, and with no third it belongs to neither the major nor the minor family.

Because it is undecided, it works as a chord in its own right and as a step on the way to C. Guitar and piano pop both use it constantly for that hanging, open sound.

Csus2 vs C

One note. C major has E, Csus2 has D. Playing sus2 and then major, one finger moving, is the classic way to use this chord.

The sus2 does not have to resolve, though. Left alone it sounds open and modern rather than unfinished, which is why so much pop leaves it hanging.

Questions about Csus2

What does sus mean in Csus2?

Suspended. The third of the chord is taken out and replaced by another note, so the chord is neither major nor minor. In Csus2 the third is replaced by D, the second.

Which notes are in a Csus2 chord on piano?

C, D and G.

What is the difference between Csus2 and Csus4?

Which note replaces the third. Csus2 uses the second, one step above the root; Csus4 uses the fourth, one step below the fifth. Sus2 sounds open and airy, sus4 sounds tense and wants to resolve.

Is Csus2 major or minor?

Neither. The third is the note that decides, and a suspended chord does not have one. That is why it can sit in front of either C major or C minor.

Chords to learn next

Other C chords