Bsus2 Chord
How to play B sus2 on guitar — open and airy: the 3rd is replaced by the 2nd, so it is neither major nor minor.
- Notes
- B – C♯ – F♯
- Frets (low → high)
- x 2 4 4 2 2
- Difficulty
- Barre chord
- Shape
- Barre at fret 2
How to play Bsus2, step by step
- 1Lay your index finger flat across the 5 strings from the A down to the high E at the 2nd fret — this is the barre, and it works like a movable nut.
- 2Put your ring finger on the 4th fret of the D string (4th).
- 3Put your little finger on the 4th fret of the G string (3rd).
- 4Leave the low E string out — mute it with the side of a finger, or just avoid it as you strum.
- 5Strum slowly and check every string sounds cleanly; if one buzzes, press closer to the fret wire and arch your fingers so they clear the neighbouring strings.
An easier way to play Bsus2
Bsus2 normally needs a barre, which is the single most common place beginners stall. A capo removes it entirely.
Put a capo on fret 2 and play an open Asus2 shape. The capo raises every string by 2 semitones, so what your hand fingers as Asus2 comes out of the guitar as Bsus2 — the same chord, none of the strain.
What makes a suspended second chord
Open and airy: the 3rd is replaced by the 2nd, so it is neither major nor minor.
| Note | Interval | Semitones above B |
|---|---|---|
| B | root | 0 |
| C♯ | 2nd | 2 |
| F♯ | 5th | 7 |
Other B chords
Same root, different colour. Swapping one of these into a progression is the quickest way to change its mood without changing the key.
Every sus2 chord
The same shape moved around the neck. If you can play Bsus2 you are a fret-slide away from all of these.
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the Bsus2 chord?
- Bsus2 is made of B, C♯, F♯ — the root, 2nd, 5th of B.
- Is Bsus2 hard to play?
- Bsus2 is usually played as a barre chord at the 2nd fret, which takes some hand strength. An easier route is a capo on fret 2 and the open Asus2 shape — it sounds identical.
- How do I play Bsus2 without a barre?
- Put a capo on fret 2 and play the open Asus2 shape. The capo raises every string by 2 semitones, so the shape sounds as Bsus2 while your hand does far less work.
Got a chart full of chords like Bsus2?
Upload a chord sheet and move every chord into a key that fits your hands and your voice — the layout stays exactly as printed. Or let the capo calculator pick the position that turns the barre chords into open ones.