A7sus4 Guitar Chord

A7sus4 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

Shape 1/2

Chord shapes:(2 positions)

Standard

Arpeggio for this shape

P - i - m - a - m - i · Smooth Bossa (2/4 · 6 notes · Level 2)

From the bass on the 5th to the 1st string there are 4 different notes. Six plucks give time to hear them. All 6 arpeggios

Subtle syncopation and oscillating timbre.

Speed:

What sets A7sus4 apart

The notes of A7sus4 are A, D, E and G. A is the root, D the fourth, E the fifth and G the minor seventh.

From the low string to the high one you hear A, E, G, D and E. The note heard most is E, twice. It is not the root but the fifth. The lowest note is A on string 5 and the highest is E on string 1.

A7sus4 lets three strings ring open. String 5 gives A, string 3 gives G and string 1 gives E. String 6 is not played. Everything fits between frets 2 and 3. The second shape on this page starts at fret 5.

A7 is one change away. String 2 moves from fret 3 to fret 2, bringing in C#, the major third of A7. It shares two notes with C, E and G. The change that keeps the most fingers still is to D. One stays in place.

A7sus4 belongs to eight keys. In D major it is the V7sus4, in C major the VI7sus4 and in G major the II7sus4. The rest appear in the key list.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

Recommended practice sequences

01A A - F#m - Bm - E7 02C#m C#m - A - F#m - G#7

Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (A7sus4)

Formula: Suspended Fourth Seventh (1 - 4 - 5 - ♭7)

Constituent chord intervals:

A 1D 4E 5G ♭7

Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 0 (A)

String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for A7sus4:

Select each shape in the diagram above to view and listen to it

Standard

Standard Position

5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)

String Control (Muted & Active):

6th String (Low E)

×Muted

Do not play

Root

5th String (A)

○Open

ADegree 1

4th String (D)

Fret 2Finger 2

EDegree 5

3rd String (G)

○Open

GDegree ♭7

2nd String (B)

Fret 3Finger 3

DDegree 4

1st String (High E)

○Open

EDegree 5

Placement tip: Press: 4th String (D) at fret 2 with your Middle finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 3 with your Ring finger. Play open: 5th String (A), 3rd String (G), 1st String (High E). Don't play: 6th String (Low E).

Barre 5

Barre fret 5

6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)

String Control (Muted & Active):

Root

6th String (Low E)

Fret 5Barre

ADegree 1

5th String (A)

Fret 7Finger 3

EDegree 5

4th String (D)

Fret 5Barre

GDegree ♭7

3rd String (G)

Fret 7Finger 4

DDegree 4

2nd String (B)

Fret 5Barre

EDegree 5

1st String (High E)

Fret 5Barre

ADegree 1

Placement tip: Barre fret 5. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 7 with your Ring finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 7 with your Pinky finger.

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (A7sus4)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

Item	In this chord
Frets	2 to 3
Fretting fingers	2
Open	5th, 3rd, and 1st
Muted	6th

What to check

The open 5th, 3rd, and 1st strings sit next to a fretting finger.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from A7sus4

Listen: A7sus4 → D · Bm · E7

A7sus4
D
A7sus4
Bm
A7sus4
E7

A7sus4 → D01

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays

Stay in place

finger 3: string 2, fret 3

Move

finger 1: string 3, fret 2
finger 2: string 1, fret 2

A7sus4 → Bm02

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 shared position

Stay in place

string 2, fret 3

Move

string 5, fret 2
string 4, fret 4
string 3, fret 4
string 1, fret 2

A7sus4 → E703

Pivot / Anchor Finger:Full shape change

No finger is shared: place the bass on string 5 first, then the rest of the shape.

Move

finger 2: string 5, fret 2
finger 1: string 3, fret 1

A7sus4 in every key

A7sus4 sits in the scale of 8 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty: 1/5
Highest fret: 3
Frets the hand covers: 2
Barre: No
Strings that ring: 5/6
Fretting fingers: 2

Major keys

Minor keys

A7sus4 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (A7sus4)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the A7sus4 chord?

To play the A7sus4 chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 5 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.

What is the root bass note of the A7sus4 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the A7sus4 chord is its root note: A. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 0.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the A7sus4 chord and what is its formula?

The A7sus4 chord is constructed using the 1 - 4 - 5 - ♭7 formula (Suspended Fourth Seventh). Its constituent pitches are A, D, E, G.

How do you prevent the A7sus4 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the A7sus4 chord from buzzing or sounding muted, press the strings using the tips of your fingers at a strict 90-degree hammer angle. Position each finger immediately behind the fret wire with your thumb centered behind the neck.

Study sheet · High resolution

Official A7sus4 chord diagram

A7sus4 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4

Download HD sheet

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Other chords in the A family:

Chord A Chord Ab Chord Am Chord A7 Chord Ab7 Chord Amaj7 Chord Abmaj7 Chord Am7