Piano chords · Sus4 chord
F♯sus4 piano chord (F♯ suspended fourth)
F♯sus4 (also written G♭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.
F♯ – B – C♯ · tap any key to hear it
The notes of F♯sus4
F♯sus4 is built from 3 notes (1 – 4 – 5):
- F♯, the root
- B, the fourth
- C♯, the fifth
F♯ and C♯ are black keys, so keep your hand slightly further in, towards the fallboard, to reach them without stretching.
Fingering
- Right hand: 1 on F♯, 4 on B, 5 on C♯.
- Left hand: 5 on F♯, 2 on B, 1 on C♯.
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 | F♯ – B – C♯ |
| 1st inversion | B – C♯ – F♯ |
| 2nd inversion | C♯ – F♯ – B |
Where F♯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 F♯ or F♯m.
F♯sus4 is F♯ with its third (A♯) replaced by the fourth, B.
Hear it in a progression
F♯sus4 – F♯ – F♯sus4 – F♯: F♯sus4 resolving to F♯ 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 F♯sus4 chord?
F♯sus4 (F♯ suspended fourth) is made of F♯, B and C♯: the root, fourth and fifth.
How do you play F♯sus4 on piano?
With your right hand, use fingers 1 on F♯, 4 on B, 5 on C♯, and press them together. With your left hand: 5 on F♯, 2 on B, 1 on C♯.
How is F♯sus4 different from the plain chord?
F♯sus4 is F♯ with its third (A♯) replaced by the fourth, B.