Read left to right, 4th string to 1st: a number is a fret, 0 is an open string.
- Index finger on the 1st fret of the A string (1st).
- Middle finger on the 3rd fret of the G string (4th).
- Ring finger on the 3rd fret of the C string (3rd).
- Little finger on the 4th fret of the E string (2nd).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th (G) | fret 3 | middle | B♭4 | second |
| 3rd (C) | fret 3 | ring | E♭4 | fifth |
| 2nd (E) | fret 4 | little | A♭4 | root |
| 1st (A) | fret 1 | index | B♭4 | 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.
2 other ways to play A♭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.
- 3346A barre at the 3rd fret and two more fingers
- 8866A barre at the 6th fret and two more fingers
Holding it cleanly
It spans 4 frets. Bring the elbow in and let the hand turn slightly toward the body of the ukulele; the stretch comes from the hand opening, not from the fingers reaching.
The notes in A♭sus2
A suspended second chord is built from the root (1), 2 and 5 of its root’s major scale. From A♭ that gives A♭ – B♭ – E♭. The third is replaced by the second, so it is neither major nor minor — open and unresolved.
The same root, other chords: A♭ major, A♭m, A♭7, A♭maj7, A♭m7, A♭sus4, A♭dim, A♭aug.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a A♭sus2 chord?
A♭ suspended second is three notes: A♭ – B♭ – E♭ — the root, 2 and 5 of the A♭ major scale. On ukulele the shape 3341 sounds B♭4, E♭4, A♭4 and B♭4, so some of those notes appear more than once.
What is the easiest way to play A♭sus2 on ukulele?
The usual shape is 3341 — a shape at the 1st fret, with four fingers. It is already about as easy as this chord gets.
Is A♭sus2 the same chord as G♯sus2?
Yes — on ukulele they are the same frets and the same sound. A♭ and G♯ are two names for one pitch, and which name a songbook prints depends on the key: a piece in a sharp key writes G♯sus2, a piece in a flat key writes A♭sus2.
What is the difference between A♭sus2 and A♭?
A♭sus2 replaces the third of A♭ with the second (B♭), so it is neither major nor minor. It is usually played for a beat or two before or after the plain A♭ chord.