CifraLab

Bbsus4 Guitar Chord

Bbsus4 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

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Shape 1/2
Chord shapes:(2 positions)
Bbsus4Guitar fingering diagram for Bbsus412341×234STRING6ª×5ªA#4ªF3ªA#2ªD#1ªF
View HD sheet

What sets Bbsus4 apart

Play Bbsus4 one string at a time and you hear Bb, Eb and F. Bb is the root, Eb the fourth and F the fifth. Said aloud, its notes are B flat, E flat and F.

From the low string to the high one you hear Bb, F, Bb, Eb and F. Bb rings twice across the five strings, and it is the root. The lowest note is Bb on string 5 and the highest is F on string 1.

For Bbsus4, your index finger barres fret 1. String 6 is not played. Everything fits between frets 1 and 4. The second shape on this page starts at fret 6.

Bb is one change away. String 2 moves from fret 4 to fret 3, bringing in D, the major third of Bb. It shares two notes with Eb, Bb and Eb. Going to F, two positions stay the same.

Bbsus4 belongs to ten keys. In Bb major it is the Isus4, in Eb major the Vsus4 and in Db major the VIsus4. The rest appear in the key list.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

01Bb Bb - Gm - Cm - F702Dm Dm - Bb - Gm - A7
Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (Bbsus4)

Formula: Suspended Fourth (1 - 4 - 5)
Constituent chord intervals:

Bb 1Eb 4F 5

Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 1 (Bb)

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

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for Bbsus4:

01

Barre 1

Barre fret 1
5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)
String Control (Muted & Active):
6th String (Low E)
×Muted
Do not play
Root
5th String (A)
Fret 1Barre
BbDegree 1
4th String (D)
Fret 3Finger 2
FDegree 5
3rd String (G)
Fret 3Finger 3
BbDegree 1
2nd String (B)
Fret 4Finger 4
EbDegree 4
1st String (High E)
Fret 1Barre
FDegree 5

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

02

Barre 6

Barre fret 6
6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)
String Control (Muted & Active):
Root
6th String (Low E)
Fret 6Barre
BbDegree 1
5th String (A)
Fret 8Finger 3
FDegree 5
4th String (D)
Fret 8Finger 3
BbDegree 1
3rd String (G)
Fret 8Finger 3
EbDegree 4
2nd String (B)
Fret 6Barre
FDegree 5
1st String (High E)
Fret 6Barre
BbDegree 1

Placement tip: Barre fret 6. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 8 with your Ring finger, 4th String (D) at fret 8 with your Ring finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 8 with your Ring finger.

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (Bbsus4)

Barre

The shape in numbers

ItemIn this chord
Frets1 to 4
Barrefret 1, from the 5th to the 1st string
Fretting fingers4
Opennone
Muted6th

What to check

At fret 1, only the barre sounds the 5th and 1st strings.

The hand spans 4 frets, from 1 to 4.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from Bbsus4

Listen: Bbsus4 → Bb · F · Dm

  1. Bbsus4
  2. Bb
  3. Bbsus4
  4. F
  5. Bbsus4
  6. Dm
Bbsus4 → Bb01
Pivot / Anchor Finger:4 shared positions
Stay in place
  • string 5, fret 1
  • string 4, fret 3
  • string 3, fret 3
  • string 1, fret 1
Move
  • string 2, fret 3
Bbsus4 → F02
Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 shared positions
Stay in place
  • string 4, fret 3
  • string 1, fret 1
Move
  • string 6, fret 1
  • string 5, fret 3
  • string 3, fret 2
  • string 2, fret 1
Bbsus4 → Dm03
Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays
Stay in place
  • finger 1: string 1, fret 1
Move
  • finger 2: string 3, fret 2
  • finger 3: string 2, fret 3

Bbsus4 in every key

Bbsus4 sits in the scale of 10 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty
5/5
Highest fret
4
Frets the hand covers
4
Barre
Yes
Strings that ring
5/6
Fretting fingers
4

Bbsus4 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 (Bbsus4)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the Bbsus4 chord?

To play the Bbsus4 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 Bbsus4 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the Bbsus4 chord is its root note: Bb. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 1.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the Bbsus4 chord and what is its formula?

The Bbsus4 chord is constructed using the 1 - 4 - 5 formula (Suspended Fourth). Its constituent pitches are Bb, Eb, F.

How do you prevent the Bbsus4 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent fret buzz on the Bbsus4 barre chord, roll your index finger slightly outward (about 15 degrees) to press with its harder bony edge. Position your finger directly behind the fret wire and apply gentle arm pull from your back rather than squeezing with thumb force.

Study sheet · High resolution

Official Bbsus4 chord diagram

Bbsus4 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4
Download HD sheet

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