Explore Csus2 guitar chord shapes and their fretboard logic

Want a structured chord roadmap instead of jumping between pages?
Go to the full guitar chords tutorial.

The Csus2 chord, a C suspended second, uses C, D and G, and the D takes the place of the E that would make it a major chord. The intervals are a root, a major second and a perfect fifth, and the result sounds open and bright.

Three shapes are listed here, two of them using open strings, within frets 3 to 5. Press play in the chord player at the top to hear Csus2 strummed and then as an arpeggio. You will also notice it has the same pitches as Gsus4. The C major pentatonic scale holds every note, and you can read more about suspended chords.

C suspended 2nd guitar chord is also written as Csus2, Csus9 or C2.

Notes of the C sus2 chord:

C D G

Tones of the Suspended Second chord:

Formula: 1 2 5

C Sus2 Guitar Chord Diagrams

Position 1 Barre Movable

Finger Positions

Mute the low E string
Place your index finger (1) on the fret 3 of the A, B and high E strings at the same time
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 5 of the D string
Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 5 of the G string

Position 2 Open

Finger Positions

Mute the low E string
Mute the D string
Let the G string play without pressing any fret
Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 3 of the A string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 3 of the B string
Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 3 of the high E string

Position 3 Open

Finger Positions

Mute the low E string
Let the D string play without pressing any fret
Let the G string play without pressing any fret
Place your middle finger (2) on the fret 3 of the A string
Place your ring finger (3) on the fret 3 of the B string
Place your pinky finger (4) on the fret 3 of the high E string

Find more shapes in our all guitar chords online library. If you prefer a printable pdf, download the Free Guitar Chords Chart Pdf

Play This Chord With Other Roots

Want to Learn Everything About Chords?

Check Chords Domination out: a unique ebook that shows you finger positions, note names and intervals in the chords (plus a tones fretboard maps)

You'll learn how to play 44 chords types across all the fretboard, with many voicings and fingerings

In the ebook you can also find maps show you the tones in a chord all along the fretboard. They are incredibly helpful because allow you to:

Create new voicings on the fly, across all the neck
Improvise targeting the right notes
Unlock the fretboard and expand the CAGED system.

In the new ebook, Chords Domination, you'll find the fretboard tones maps for 44 different qualities of chords. Check it out:

Download Free Excerpt Learn More Here

Created by

Giancarlo Facoetti

Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher

FAQ

What notes are in Csus2?

Csus2 (C suspended second) is made of C, D and G. That is the root, a major second and a perfect fifth. The D sits where the third of a C major chord would be.

Is Csus2 a major or a minor chord?

Neither. A major or minor chord needs a third, and Csus2 replaces the third with the second, D. The result sounds open and unresolved rather than happy or sad.

Does Csus2 contain the same notes as another chord?

Yes. C, D and G are also the notes of Gsus4, a suspended fourth chord built on G. The two chords differ only in which of the three notes is treated as the root.

How many ways are there to play Csus2?

Csus2 has 3 voicings, running from fret 3 up to fret 5. Two of them use open strings, and one uses a barre.

Which scale fits C suspended second?

The C Major Pentatonic Scale (C, D, E, G, A) contains C, D and G. Each chord note belongs to it, so melodies from that scale blend naturally.