Piano chords · Sus4 chord
D♭sus4 piano chord (D♭ suspended fourth)
D♭sus4 (also written C♯sus4) is a suspended fourth chord with 3 notes. It sounds open and expectant, waiting to resolve. Here's how to find it, play it and hear it.
D♭ – G♭ – A♭ · tap any key to hear it
The notes of D♭sus4
D♭sus4 is built from 3 notes (1 – 4 – 5):
- D♭, the root
- G♭, the fourth
- A♭, the fifth
Every note is a black key, so your hand sits further into the keyboard. It feels unusual at first, but black-key chords are often the most comfortable once you're used to them.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on D♭, 4 on G♭, 5 on A♭.
- Left hand: 5 on D♭, 2 on G♭, 1 on A♭.
Press every key at exactly the same moment, with the same weight. If one note sounds louder or a fraction late, the chord sounds uneven: play it slowly and listen for one sound.
Inversions
An inversion is the same notes in a different order, with a different note at the bottom. Inversions let you move between chords without jumping around the keyboard.
| Position | Notes, bottom to top |
|---|---|
| Root position | D♭ – G♭ – A♭ |
| 1st inversion | G♭ – A♭ – D♭ |
| 2nd inversion | A♭ – D♭ – G♭ |
Where D♭sus4 belongs
A sus chord is neither major nor minor: the fourth takes the place of the third. It usually resolves, with the fourth moving to the third, to D♭ or D♭m.
D♭sus4 is D♭ with its third (F) replaced by the fourth, G♭.
Hear it in a progression
D♭sus4 – D♭ – D♭sus4 – D♭: D♭sus4 resolving to D♭ and back: the classic suspension.
Playing it, but it doesn't sound right? Ivory listens to you play and tells you what's off: a note that's missing, a hand that lands late, a chord that's uneven. Then it shows you how it should go.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the D♭sus4 chord?
D♭sus4 (D♭ suspended fourth) is made of D♭, G♭ and A♭: the root, fourth and fifth.
How do you play D♭sus4 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on D♭, 4 on G♭, 5 on A♭, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on D♭, 2 on G♭, 1 on A♭.
How is D♭sus4 different from the plain chord?
D♭sus4 is D♭ with its third (F) replaced by the fourth, G♭.