Notes and intervals of A♭ sus2
- A♭1 · root
- B♭2 · major second
- E♭5 · 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 A♭sus2
Suspend and resolve: Isus2 – I
A♭sus2 usually resolves to A♭: you change just one note and the chord “settles”.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A-flat suspended 2 chord?
A♭ suspended 2 (A♭sus2) has 3 notes: A♭ (root), B♭ (major second), E♭ (perfect fifth).
How do you play A♭ suspended 2 on guitar?
The most common shape uses a barre at fret 11: x 11 13 13 11 11 (from the 6th to the 1st string). Barre fret 11 with your index finger, from the 5th to the 1st string. Finger 3 (ring) on fret 13 of the 4th string (D). Finger 4 (pinky) on fret 13 of the 3rd string (G). Don't play the 6th string: strum from the 5th.
Is A♭sus2 the same as G♯sus2?
Yes: A♭ suspended 2nd and G♯ suspended 2nd sound the same and are played the same way (they are enharmonic). The spelling depends on the key of the song; you'll see both names in sheet music and songbooks.
What is the chord symbol for A♭ suspended 2?
It is written A♭sus2; you may also see A♭2. Letter-based chord notation uses these equivalents to solfège: C = Do, D = Re, E = Mi, F = Fa, G = Sol, A = La, and B = Si.