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C sus2 chord (Csus2)

C sus2 is a 3-note sus2 chord: C – D – G. It sounds open and ambiguous: neither major nor minor. Here it is on guitar, piano and ukulele, with fingering and audio.

  • NotesC – D – G
  • Formula1 – 2 – 5
  • SymbolCsus2 · C2
  • TypeSus2 chord

C sus2 on guitar

  • ×314CDGCG
    Open position
  • ×13411CGCDG
    Barre at fret 3 (A shape)

How to place your fingers (open position)

  1. Place finger 3 (ring) at fret 3 on the 5th string (A).
  2. Place finger 1 (index) at fret 1 on string 2 (B).
  3. Finger 4 (pinky) on fret 3 of the 1st string (E).
  4. The 4th and 3rd strings are played open.
  5. Do not play the 6th string: strum from the 5th.

The numbers inside the dots are the fingers of your left hand: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring and 4 pinky. The colored dots mark the root (C). The other positions let you change chords without jumping along the neck, or give you a higher-pitched sound.

C sus2 on piano

CDG

In root position, play C – D – G from bottom to top with fingers 1, 3 and 5 of your right hand (thumb, middle and pinky). With your left hand you usually play just the root (C) or the root and the fifth.

Inversions

  • First inversion: D – G – C
  • Second inversion: G – C – D

C sus2 on ukulele

  • GDGC
    Open position
  • 5CGCD
    From fret 5

Standard tuning G – C – E – A (the G string is the high one). Is your ukulele in tune? Use the ukulele tuner.

Notes and intervals of C sus2

  • C1 · root
  • D2 · major second
  • G5 · perfect fifth

It's used to open up the sound of a major or minor chord, in pop and rock strumming and in intros with open strings.

Progressions with Csus2

Suspend and resolve: Isus2 – I

Csus2 usually resolves to C: you change just one note and the chord “settles”.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C suspended 2 chord?

C suspended 2 (Csus2) has 3 notes: C (root), D (major second), G (perfect fifth).

How do you play C suspended 2 on guitar?

The easiest shape is in open position: x 3 0 0 1 3 (from the 6th to the 1st string). Finger 3 (ring finger) on fret 3 of the 5th string (A). Finger 1 (index finger) on fret 1 of the 2nd string (B). Finger 4 (pinky) on fret 3 of the 1st string (E). The 4th and 3rd strings ring open. Do not play the 6th string: strum from the 5th.

How do you write C suspended 2 as a chord symbol?

It is written Csus2; you may also see C2. Letter notation uses the note names C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.

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