Csus2 Chord
How to play C sus2 on guitar — open and airy: the 3rd is replaced by the 2nd, so it is neither major nor minor.
- Notes
- C – D – G
- Frets (low → high)
- x 3 5 5 3 3
- Difficulty
- Barre chord
- Shape
- Barre at fret 3
How to play Csus2, step by step
- 1Lay your index finger flat across the 5 strings from the A down to the high E at the 3rd fret — this is the barre, and it works like a movable nut.
- 2Put your ring finger on the 5th fret of the D string (4th).
- 3Put your little finger on the 5th 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 Csus2
Csus2 normally needs a barre, which is the single most common place beginners stall. A capo removes it entirely.
Put a capo on fret 3 and play an open Asus2 shape. The capo raises every string by 3 semitones, so what your hand fingers as Asus2 comes out of the guitar as Csus2 — 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 C |
|---|---|---|
| C | root | 0 |
| D | 2nd | 2 |
| G | 5th | 7 |
Other C 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 Csus2 you are a fret-slide away from all of these.
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the Csus2 chord?
- Csus2 is made of C, D, G — the root, 2nd, 5th of C.
- Is Csus2 hard to play?
- Csus2 is usually played as a barre chord at the 3rd fret, which takes some hand strength. An easier route is a capo on fret 3 and the open Asus2 shape — it sounds identical.
- How do I play Csus2 without a barre?
- Put a capo on fret 3 and play the open Asus2 shape. The capo raises every string by 3 semitones, so the shape sounds as Csus2 while your hand does far less work.
Got a chart full of chords like Csus2?
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.