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 on the 2nd fret of the G string (3rd).
- Middle finger on the 3rd fret of the B string (2nd).
- Let the D and high E strings ring open.
- Do not play the low E and A strings: start the strum from the D 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 | β | β | β |
| 5th (A) | not played | β | β | β |
| 4th (D) | open | β | D3 | root |
| 3rd (G) | fret 2 | index | A3 | fifth |
| 2nd (B) | fret 3 | middle | D4 | root |
| 1st (high E) | open | β | E4 | second |
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 Dsus2
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 β and one of them is usually nearer the chord you are coming from.
- x57755A barre at the 5th fret and two more fingers
- 10-7-7-7-10-10A barre at the 7th fret and three more fingers
- 10-0-0-9-10-10A shape at the 9th fret Β· four fingers
Holding it cleanly
2 strings ring open next to fretted ones. Arch the fingers so they come down on their tips β a finger lying flat will deaden the open string beside it, and the chord loses a note without sounding obviously wrong.
The 2 lowest strings are left out, because their open notes are not in the chord. Aim the strum to start below them, or let the tip of a fretting finger rest against the unwanted string to keep it quiet.
The notes in Dsus2
A suspended second chord is built from the root (1), 2 and 5 of its rootβs major scale. From D that gives D β E β A. The third is replaced by the second, so it is neither major nor minor β open and unresolved.
The same root, other chords: D major, Dm, D7, Dmaj7, Dm7, Dsus4, Ddim, Daug.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Dsus2 chord?
D suspended second is three notes: D β E β A β the root, 2 and 5 of the D major scale. On guitar the shape xx0230 sounds D3, A3, D4 and E4, so some of those notes appear more than once.
What is the easiest way to play Dsus2 on guitar?
The usual shape is xx0230 β an open-position shape, with two fingers. It is already about as easy as this chord gets.
What is the difference between Dsus2 and D?
Dsus2 replaces the third of D with the second (E), so it is neither major nor minor. It is usually played for a beat or two before or after the plain D chord.