Esus2 Piano Chord

Esus2 is the E suspended second chord. It has three notes: E, F sharp and B. The middle note is a black key, and the G sharp that would make the chord major is gone.

1E2F♯5BC4C5

E at the bottom, then F♯ and B. Right hand 1-2-5, left hand 5-3-1. The black key is F♯.

How to play Esus2 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. Index finger (2): F♯
  4. Little finger (5): B
  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 E on its own as a bass note.

The F sharp sits immediately above the root, which puts the thumb and the next finger very close together. Let the hand sit slightly into the keyboard so the black key is easy to reach.

Inversions of Esus2

The same 3 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Esus2; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionF♯ B E
Esus2 piano chord diagram, first inversion, F♯ B E
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 inversionB E F♯
Esus2 piano chord diagram, second inversion, B E F♯
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

You have played G sharp
That belongs to E major. Esus2 uses F sharp, the black key immediately above E.
The first two notes clash
E and F sharp are only a whole step apart. Played low that sounds muddy; move the chord above middle C.
The black key is hard to reach
The finger next to the thumb has to go further into the keyboard. Move the whole hand forward rather than stretching.

What makes it an Esus2

E · F♯ · B 1 2 5

Esus2 is E, F sharp and B: the root, the second and the fifth. Without a third the chord is neither major nor minor.

It fits the keys of E, B and A. In guitar led rock those keys are everywhere, so this is one of the more commonly heard sus2 chords.

Esus2 vs E

E major has G sharp; Esus2 has F sharp instead. Both are black keys, so the change is a slide rather than a jump between depths.

The result is an open, unresolved chord that can either move to E major or stay where it is.

Questions about Esus2

What does sus mean in Esus2?

Suspended. The third of the chord is taken out and replaced by another note, so the chord is neither major nor minor. In Esus2 the third is replaced by F sharp, the second.

Which notes are in a Esus2 chord on piano?

E, F sharp and B.

What is the difference between Esus2 and Esus4?

Which note replaces the third. Esus2 uses the second, one step above the root; Esus4 uses the fourth, one step below the fifth. Sus2 sounds open and airy, sus4 sounds tense and wants to resolve.

Is Esus2 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 E major or E minor.

Chords to learn next

Other E chords