A Suspended 2nd Chord (Asus2) on Piano
The Asus2 chord (A suspended 2nd) is built from 3 notes: A – B – E.
Play these notes on a MIDI keyboard, your computer keyboard, or the on-screen keys and ChordKeys will name the chord back to you.
Notes and intervals
| Note | Degree | Interval from A | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | root | 0 |
| B | 2 | major 2nd | 2 |
| E | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
Inversions
Rearranging which note sits at the bottom gives you 3 playable voicings of the same chord. Inversions let you move between chords with less hand movement.
| Voicing | Notes | Bass note |
|---|---|---|
| Root position | A – B – E | A in the bass |
| 1st inversion | B – E – A | B in the bass |
| 2nd inversion | E – A – B | E in the bass |
How the suspended 2nd chord is built
Every suspended 2nd chord uses the same interval formula: 1 (0 semitones), 2 (2 semitones), 5 (7 semitones). Starting on A and applying that formula produces A, B, E. Learn the formula once and you can build a suspended 2nd chord on any of the twelve roots.
Keys that contain Asus2
Every note of Asus2 belongs to these keys, so it will sit naturally in a progression written in any of them.
Other chords on A
Suspended 2nd chords on other roots
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Asus2 chord?
A Asus2 chord contains the notes A, B, E. Those are the 1, 2, 5 degrees measured from the root note A.
How do you play Asus2 on piano?
Place your thumb on A, then add B and E above it. With a right hand in root position the common fingering is 1–3–5.