Read left to right, 6th string to 1st: a number is a fret, 0 is an open string, x is a string you do not play.
- Index finger flat across the top 5 strings, from the A string up at the 1st fret — the barre.
- Middle finger on the 3rd fret of the D string (4th).
- Ring finger on the 3rd fret of the G string (3rd).
- Do not play the low E string: start the strum from the A string.
String by string
What each string does in this shape, and which note of the chord it sounds. This is what to listen for when you pluck them one at a time.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note | In the chord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (low E) | not played | — | — | — |
| 5th (A) | fret 1 | index | B♭2 | root |
| 4th (D) | fret 3 | middle | F3 | fifth |
| 3rd (G) | fret 3 | ring | B♭3 | root |
| 2nd (B) | fret 1 | index | C4 | second |
| 1st (high E) | fret 1 | index | F4 | fifth |
One string at a time: a chord strummed into a microphone is several notes at once, and a single string is something the page can hear exactly. A string in tune but on the wrong fret, or deadened by the finger beside it, shows up here and not on a tuner. Tap a string to check it again.
3 other ways to play B♭sus2
The same 3 notes, somewhere else on the neck. A different shape puts a different note on top, so each one colours the chord slightly differently — and one of them is usually nearer the chord you are coming from.
- 633366A barre at the 3rd fret and three more fingers
- xx8566A shape at the 5th fret · four fingers
- x-x-8-10-11-8A barre at the 8th fret and two more fingers
If the usual shape is too hard for now
Or use a capo: clamp it at the 1st fret and play the Asus2 shape. Every string is raised 1 semitone, so that open shape now sounds B♭sus2.
Holding it cleanly
The barre is the hard part. Lay the index finger just behind the 1st fret, roll it slightly onto its bony outer edge, and keep the thumb behind the neck opposite it. Pluck the barred strings one at a time: a buzz or a dead string means the finger is not flat there yet.
The lowest string is left out, because its open note is not in the chord. Aim the strum to start below it, or let the tip of a fretting finger rest against the unwanted string to keep it quiet.
The notes in B♭sus2
A suspended second chord is built from the root (1), 2 and 5 of its root’s major scale. From B♭ that gives B♭ – C – F. The third is replaced by the second, so it is neither major nor minor — open and unresolved.
The same root, other chords: B♭ major, B♭m, B♭7, B♭maj7, B♭m7, B♭sus4, B♭dim, B♭aug.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a B♭sus2 chord?
B♭ suspended second is three notes: B♭ – C – F — the root, 2 and 5 of the B♭ major scale. On guitar the shape x13311 sounds B♭2, F3, B♭3, C4 and F4, so some of those notes appear more than once.
What is the easiest way to play B♭sus2 on guitar?
The usual shape is x13311 — a barre chord at the 1st fret, with a barre at the 1st fret and two more fingers. Or put a capo on the 1st fret and play the Asus2 shape, which then sounds B♭sus2.
Is B♭sus2 the same chord as A♯sus2?
Yes — on guitar they are the same frets and the same sound. B♭ and A♯ are two names for one pitch, and which name a songbook prints depends on the key: a piece in a sharp key writes A♯sus2, a piece in a flat key writes B♭sus2.
What is the difference between B♭sus2 and B♭?
B♭sus2 replaces the third of B♭ with the second (C), so it is neither major nor minor. It is usually played for a beat or two before or after the plain B♭ chord.