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C sus4 chord (Csus4)

C sus4 is a 3-note sus4 chord: C – F – G. It sounds suspended, eager to return to the major chord. Here it is on guitar, piano and ukulele, with fingering and audio.

  • NotesC – F – G
  • Formula1 – 4 – 5
  • SymbolCsus4 · Csus
  • TypeSus4 chord

C sus4 on guitar

  • ×3411CFGCF
    Open position
  • 3×12341CGCFG
    Barre at fret 3 (A shape)
  • 8123411CGCFGC
    Barre at fret 8 (E shape)

How to place your fingers (open position)

  1. Place finger 3 (ring) at fret 3 on the 5th string (A).
  2. Place finger 4 (pinky) at fret 3 on the 4th string (D).
  3. Place finger 1 (index) at fret 1 on string 2 (B).
  4. Place finger 1 (index) at fret 1 on the 1st string (E).
  5. The 3rd string rings open.
  6. 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 sus4 on piano

CFG

In root position, play C – F – 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: F – G – C
  • Second inversion: G – C – F

C sus4 on ukulele

  • GCFC
    Open position
  • 3CFGC
    From fret 3

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 sus4

  • C1 · root
  • F4 · perfect fourth
  • G5 · perfect fifth

It usually resolves to the major chord with the same root (Xsus4 → X): a classic embellishment in strumming and endings.

Progressions with Csus4

Suspend and resolve: Isus4 – I

Csus4 usually resolves to C: you change just one note and the chord “settles”.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C suspended 4 chord?

C suspended 4th (Csus4) has 3 notes: C (root), F (perfect fourth), G (perfect fifth).

How do you play C suspended 4 on guitar?

The easiest shape is in open position: x 3 3 0 1 1 (from string 6 to string 1). Finger 3 (ring) on fret 3 of string 5 (A). Finger 4 (pinky) on fret 3 of string 4 (D). Finger 1 (index) on fret 1 of string 2 (B). Finger 1 (index) on fret 1 of string 1 (E). String 3 rings open. Do not play string 6: strum from string 5.

How do you write C suspended 4 as a chord symbol?

It is written Csus4; you may also see Csus. Letter notation corresponds to solfège note names: C = Do, D = Re, E = Mi, F = Fa, G = Sol, A = La, and B = Si.

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