D Suspended 4th Chord (Dsus4) on Piano
The Dsus4 chord (D suspended 4th) is built from 3 notes: D – G – A.
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 D | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | 1 | root | 0 |
| G | 4 | perfect 4th | 5 |
| A | 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 | D – G – A | D in the bass |
| 1st inversion | G – A – D | G in the bass |
| 2nd inversion | A – D – G | A in the bass |
How the suspended 4th chord is built
Every suspended 4th chord uses the same interval formula: 1 (0 semitones), 4 (5 semitones), 5 (7 semitones). Starting on D and applying that formula produces D, G, A. Learn the formula once and you can build a suspended 4th chord on any of the twelve roots.
Keys that contain Dsus4
Every note of Dsus4 belongs to these keys, so it will sit naturally in a progression written in any of them.
Other chords on D
Suspended 4th chords on other roots
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Dsus4 chord?
A Dsus4 chord contains the notes D, G, A. Those are the 1, 4, 5 degrees measured from the root note D.
How do you play Dsus4 on piano?
Place your thumb on D, then add G and A above it. With a right hand in root position the common fingering is 1–3–5.