Bsus4 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - i - m - a · Classic Ascending (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)
The thumb plays B on the 5th and the three top strings add up to 3 different notes. All 6 arpeggios
Steady bass with uniform ascending movement.
Play Bsus4 one string at a time and you hear B, E and F#. B is the root, E the fourth and F# the fifth. Said aloud, its notes are B, E and F sharp.
From the low string to the high one you hear B, F#, B, E and F#. B rings twice across the five strings, and it is the root. The lowest note is B on string 5 and the highest is F# on string 1.
For Bsus4, your index finger barres fret 2. Avoid string 6. Everything fits between frets 2 and 5. Besides the main one there are two more shapes, at frets 2 and 7.
B is one change away. String 2 moves from fret 5 to fret 4, bringing in D#, the major third of B. It shares two notes with E, B and E. Going to F#, two positions stay the same.
Bsus4 belongs to ten keys. In B major it is the Isus4, in E major the Vsus4 and in D major the VIsus4. The rest appear in the key list. Further down there is a song that uses it.
B 1E 4F# 5
Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 2 (B)
String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted
Placement tip: Barre fret 2. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 4, 3rd String (G) at fret 4, 2nd String (B) at fret 5. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
Placement tip: Barre fret 7. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 9, 4th String (D) at fret 9, 3rd String (G) at fret 9.
Placement tip: Press: 5th String (A) at fret 2 with your Index finger, 4th String (D) at fret 4 with your Ring finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 4 with your Pinky finger. Play open: 2nd String (B), 1st String (High E). Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 2 to 5 |
| Barre | fret 2, from the 5th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 4 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | 6th |
At fret 2, only the barre sounds the 5th and 1st strings.
The hand spans 4 frets, from 2 to 5.
Listen: Bsus4 → B · F# · E
Bsus4 sits in the scale of 10 keys.
Well-known songs where this chord plays a clear role
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the Bsus4 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.
The primary bass note of the Bsus4 chord is its root note: B. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 2.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The Bsus4 chord is constructed using the 1 - 4 - 5 formula (Suspended Fourth). Its constituent pitches are B, E, F#.
To prevent fret buzz on the Bsus4 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.
"Pinball Wizard" (The Who, 1969). Heard in the verse (Bsus4 - B - Asus4 - A).
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