Esus2 Ukulele Chord

Esus2 is the E suspended second chord on ukulele. It has three notes: E, F♯ and B. The E family is the awkward corner of the ukulele, and this shape trades the four finger cluster of plain E for a small two string barre with two fingers stacked above it.

A small index barre across the E and A strings at the 2nd fret, ring and pinky at the 4th on the G and C: the E family hand shape with the stretch relaxed.

How to play Esus2 on ukulele, step by step

Index finger: press flat across the E to A strings at fret 2
Ring finger: 4th fret, G string
Pinky finger: 4th fret, C string
Strum all four strings.

This chord is one note away from the four finger E: the G♯ at the 4th fret of the E string drops a whole step to F♯, and the chord stops being major and starts to hang. If you can play E, the hand position is already familiar.

More ways to play Esus2

There are 3 common Esus2 shapes: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these further up the neck. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.

Esus2 ukulele chord diagram, frets 4 to 7, played 4607 — Frets 4 to 7

Esus2 ukulele chord diagram, frets 6 to 9, played 9677 — Frets 6 to 9

If the shape is not clean

The barre pair is weak: The index covers the E and A strings at the 2nd fret. Roll it slightly onto its outer edge and keep it close behind the fret wire so both strings speak.
The 4th fret pair buzzes: Ring and pinky sit side by side at the 4th fret of the G and C strings. Curl both so they press on their tips rather than lean on each other.
The chord sounds like B: This voicing has B at both edges. If the middle two notes are weak, the ear hears only the Bs; balance the strum toward the middle strings.

What makes it an Esus2

E · F♯ · B 1 2 5

Esus2 replaces the third of the E chord, G♯, with F♯. What remains is a root, a whole step and a fifth: neither major nor minor, a chord that hangs until the F♯ moves. Usually it climbs back to G♯ for E major, or falls to G for E minor.

The same three notes read from B spell Bsus4, the sus4 twin every sus2 has a fifth up. E chords live in the keys of E, A and B, guitar keys, so on ukulele this chord mostly appears in songs carried over at original pitch.

Esus2 vs Esus4

Esus2 hangs F♯ a whole step below the missing G♯; Esus4 hangs A a half step above it. Same frame, different suspended note, opposite direction of pull.

The sus4 wants E back within a beat; the sus2 can float for a bar or more. On an instrument where plain E is famously hard, both also serve as softer-handed stand-ins when the song allows it.

Esus2 chord questions

Is Esus2 easier than E?

A little. Plain E asks for four fingers packed into one fret; Esus2 swaps that for a two string barre and two stacked fingers. Neither is a beginner shape, but this one is kinder.

Is Esus2 major or minor?

Neither. The G♯ that would decide it has been swapped for F♯, so the chord floats until a third returns.

Is Esus2 the same as Bsus4?

They contain the same three notes, E, F♯ and B. Which name applies depends on whether the song treats E or B as home.

What is the difference between Esus2 and Esus4?

Esus2 suspends F♯, a whole step over the root; Esus4 suspends A, a fourth over it. The sus4 is tenser, the sus2 more open.

What does Esus2 resolve to?

E major when the F♯ climbs to G♯, or E minor when it falls to G. The chord itself does not choose.