E Suspended 4th Chord (Esus4) on Piano
The Esus4 chord (E suspended 4th) is built from 3 notes: E – A – B.
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 E | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| E | 1 | root | 0 |
| A | 4 | perfect 4th | 5 |
| B | 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 | E – A – B | E in the bass |
| 1st inversion | A – B – E | A in the bass |
| 2nd inversion | B – E – A | B 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 E and applying that formula produces E, A, B. Learn the formula once and you can build a suspended 4th chord on any of the twelve roots.
Keys that contain Esus4
Every note of Esus4 belongs to these keys, so it will sit naturally in a progression written in any of them.
Other chords on E
Suspended 4th chords on other roots
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Esus4 chord?
A Esus4 chord contains the notes E, A, B. Those are the 1, 4, 5 degrees measured from the root note E.
How do you play Esus4 on piano?
Place your thumb on E, then add A and B above it. With a right hand in root position the common fingering is 1–3–5.