Ebsus4 Piano Chord

Ebsus4 is the E flat suspended fourth chord. It has three notes: E flat, A flat and B flat. All three are black keys, which makes this one of the easiest shapes on the piano.

1E♭3A♭5B♭C4C5

E♭ at the bottom, then A♭ and B♭. Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-2-1. The black keys are E♭ and A♭ and B♭.

How to play Ebsus4 on piano, step by step

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

Every note here is black. Resolving the chord means moving the A flat down to G, which brings one finger forward onto a white key.

Inversions of Ebsus4

The same 3 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Ebsus4; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionA♭ B♭ E♭
Ebsus4 piano chord diagram, first inversion, A♭ B♭ E♭
Lighter than root position and less final. A fourth 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 inversionB♭ E♭ A♭
Ebsus4 piano chord diagram, second inversion, B♭ E♭ A♭
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

A finger drops onto a white key
Nothing in this chord is white. Play well into the keyboard where all three keys sit.
You have played G
That belongs to E flat major and is where this chord resolves. Ebsus4 needs A flat.
The notes are uneven
Black keys are narrow. Aim each fingertip at the centre of its key rather than the edge.

What makes it an Ebsus4

E♭ · A♭ · B♭ 1 4 5

Ebsus4 is E flat, A flat and B flat: the root, the fourth and the fifth.

It is the V chord of A flat with the third suspended, and the I chord of E flat in the same form. Gospel piano uses this exact sound constantly.

Ebsus4 vs Eb

E flat major has G, a white key; Ebsus4 has A flat, a black one. So the suspended chord is all black and the major is the mixed shape.

Resolving the suspension brings the hand forward, which is a good physical reminder of what the chord is doing musically.

Questions about Ebsus4

What does sus mean in Ebsus4?

Suspended. The third of the chord is removed and replaced by another note. In Ebsus4 the third, G, is replaced by A flat, the fourth, which is why the chord sounds like it is waiting for something.

Which notes are in a Ebsus4 chord on piano?

E flat, A flat and B flat.

What is the difference between Ebsus4 and E flatsus2?

Which note stands in for the third. Ebsus4 uses the fourth and sounds tense; E flatsus2 uses the second and sounds open. Sus4 wants to resolve, sus2 is happy where it is.

How do you resolve Ebsus4?

Move A flat down to G, which turns the chord into E flat major. That single step is the whole point of a sus4, and it is one of the most used moves in gospel, rock and pop.

Chords to learn next

Other Eb chords