Read left to right, 6th string to 1st: a number is a fret, 0 is an open string.
- Index finger on the 2nd fret of the A string (5th).
- Middle finger on the 4th fret of the D string (4th).
- Ring finger on the 4th fret of the G string (3rd).
- Let the low E, B and high E strings ring open.
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) | open | — | E2 | root |
| 5th (A) | fret 2 | index | B2 | fifth |
| 4th (D) | fret 4 | middle | F♯3 | second |
| 3rd (G) | fret 4 | ring | B3 | fifth |
| 2nd (B) | open | — | B3 | fifth |
| 1st (high E) | open | — | E4 | root |
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 Esus2
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.
- x79977A barre at the 7th fret and two more fingers
- x74457A barre at the 4th fret and three more fingers
- 099900A shape at the 9th fret · three fingers
Holding it cleanly
3 strings ring open next to fretted ones. Arch the fingers so they come down on their tips — a finger lying flat will deaden the open string beside it, and the chord loses a note without sounding obviously wrong.
The notes in Esus2
A suspended second chord is built from the root (1), 2 and 5 of its root’s major scale. From E that gives E – F♯ – B. The third is replaced by the second, so it is neither major nor minor — open and unresolved.
The same root, other chords: E major, Em, E7, Emaj7, Em7, Esus4, Edim, Eaug.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Esus2 chord?
E suspended second is three notes: E – F♯ – B — the root, 2 and 5 of the E major scale. On guitar the shape 024400 sounds E2, B2, F♯3, B3, B3 and E4, so some of those notes appear more than once.
What is the easiest way to play Esus2 on guitar?
The usual shape is 024400 — an open-position shape, with three fingers. It is already about as easy as this chord gets.
What is the difference between Esus2 and E?
Esus2 replaces the third of E with the second (F♯), so it is neither major nor minor. It is usually played for a beat or two before or after the plain E chord.