Explore Csus2 guitar chord shapes and their fretboard logic
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.
Csus2 Chord Notes and Formula
Notes of the C sus2 chord:
Tones of the Suspended Second chord:
Formula: 1 2 5
C Sus2 Chord Interactive Fretboard
Want a structured chord roadmap instead of jumping between pages?
Go to the full guitar chords tutorial.
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
Chords That Go With Csus2
One key where Csus2 fits is C major, where it works as the I chord. These are the main chords of that key, the ones you will often hear around it:
See every key in the guitar keys chart, or build a progression with these chords in the chord progression generator.
More C Chords
Want to know how this chord is built? Read suspended chords explained, or browse all C guitar chords.
Created by
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.
