What notes are in the Absus2 chord?

Absus2 is made of Ab, Bb and Eb — the 1, 2 and 5 degrees of a suspended second chord built on Ab.

What keys use the Absus2 chord?

Every note of Absus2 belongs to 16 keys: Eb Major (IV), Ab Major (I), B Major (vi), Db Major (V), F# Major (ii), Gb Major (ii), C# Major (V), Cb Major (vi), C Minor (VI), F Minor (III), Bb Minor (VII), G# Minor (i), D# Minor (iv), Eb Minor (iv), A# Minor (VII), Ab Minor (i). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.

How do you play Absus2 on guitar and piano?

This page shows Absus2 on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 8 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.

Is Absus2 the same as G#sus2?

Yes. Absus2 and G#sus2 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Absus2 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Chord · Ab Suspended 2nd

A♭sus2 Chord

A♭sus2 is Ab, Bb and Eb — open, unresolved; neither major nor minor.

Hear it

A♭sus2 on every instrument

The same 3 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

What A♭sus2 is made of

Ab Suspended 2nd (Ab suspended 2nd) is built from the notes Ab, Bb, Eb, with the interval pattern 1, 2, 5. A common suspended 2nd chord across many styles.

Stack 1, 2 and 5 on a root of A♭ and you get Ab, Bb and Eb. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a suspended second chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why Csus2 sounds like a transposed A♭sus2.

Suspended 2nd: Open, unresolved; neither major nor minor.

Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with A♭ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.

Keys that contain A♭sus2

All 3 notes sit inside the scale of 16 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.

Major keys

Minor keys

Other chords on A♭

Same root, different colour.

A♭Ab Major A♭augAb Augmented A♭sus4Ab Suspended 4th A♭5Ab Power Chord A♭6Ab Major 6th A♭6/9Ab 6/9 A♭7Ab Dominant 7th A♭maj7Ab Major 7th

The same suspended second shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

Csus2C Suspended 2nd Dsus2D Suspended 2nd Esus2E Suspended 2nd Fsus2F Suspended 2nd Gsus2G Suspended 2nd Asus2A Suspended 2nd Bsus2B Suspended 2nd F♯sus2F# Suspended 2nd

Questions people ask about Absus2

What notes are in the Absus2 chord?: Absus2 is made of Ab, Bb and Eb — the 1, 2 and 5 degrees of a suspended second chord built on Ab.
What keys use the Absus2 chord?: Every note of Absus2 belongs to 16 keys: Eb Major (IV), Ab Major (I), B Major (vi), Db Major (V), F# Major (ii), Gb Major (ii), C# Major (V), Cb Major (vi), C Minor (VI), F Minor (III), Bb Minor (VII), G# Minor (i), D# Minor (iv), Eb Minor (iv), A# Minor (VII), Ab Minor (i). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play Absus2 on guitar and piano?: This page shows Absus2 on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 8 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Is Absus2 the same as G#sus2?: Yes. Absus2 and G#sus2 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Absus2 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why A♭sus2 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.

Chord Inversions and Slash Chords — Same Notes, Different AttitudeSuspending or adding a tone is a voicing decision, the same kind as an inversion or a slash chord.5 min read Chord Progressions ExplainedThese chords earn their keep inside a progression, leaning on the plain chord that follows.7 min read Intervals — The Only Music Theory You Actually NeedWhich degree got swapped in, and what that one interval changes.5 min read