Which notes are in the A#sus4 chord?

A#sus4 contains the notes A#, D# and F. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – 4 – 5.

How many ways can you play A#sus4?

Minory lists 2 guitar fingerings for A#sus4, 2 of which are barre shapes. They all produce the same chord — what changes is the voicing and where it sits on the neck.

Is the A#sus4 chord hard to play?

A#sus4 requires a barre, so it can feel demanding at first. Keeping the index finger straight and pressing from the wrist rather than the thumb makes it noticeably easier.

Are A#sus4 and Bbsus4 the same chord?

Yes. A#sus4 and Bbsus4 are enharmonically identical — the spelling differs but the frets and keys are the same. Which name is used depends on the key of the piece.

A# suspended 4th · Guitar

A#sus4 Chord on Guitar

The A#sus4 chord (A# suspended 4th) is built from the notes A#, D# and F. 2 different guitar fingerings for it are shown below. The same chord is also written Bbsus4; both spellings sound identical.

Chord diagrams

Position 1barre shape · starts at fret 1

Fingering

string 6 (E): muted
string 5 (A): fret 1 — index finger
string 4 (D): fret 3 — middle finger
string 3 (G): fret 3 — ring finger
string 2 (B): fret 4 — little finger
string 1 (E): fret 1 — index finger

Position 2barre shape · starts at fret 6

Fingering

string 6 (E): fret 6 — index finger
string 5 (A): fret 8 — middle finger
string 4 (D): fret 8 — ring finger
string 3 (G): fret 8 — little finger
string 2 (B): fret 6 — index finger
string 1 (E): fret 6 — index finger

Notes in this chord

A♯
D♯
F

Degrees: 1 – 4 – 5

Also written: Bbsus4

How to play

Every guitar shape for A#sus4 needs a barre, and the lowest one starts at fret 1. Keep the index finger straight and as close to the fret wire as possible, and let the wrist rather than the thumb supply the pressure.

Theory behind the chord

Suspended fourth chords replace the third with a fourth, so they sound unresolved on purpose. Releasing the fourth back down to the third is one of the oldest and most satisfying moves in songwriting. On A#sus4 this structure sits on the root A#, so the degrees 1 – 4 – 5 map onto A#, D# and F.

Frequently asked questions

Which notes are in the A#sus4 chord?: A#sus4 contains the notes A#, D# and F. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – 4 – 5.
How many ways can you play A#sus4?: Minory lists 2 guitar fingerings for A#sus4, 2 of which are barre shapes. They all produce the same chord — what changes is the voicing and where it sits on the neck.
Is the A#sus4 chord hard to play?: A#sus4 requires a barre, so it can feel demanding at first. Keeping the index finger straight and pressing from the wrist rather than the thumb makes it noticeably easier.
Are A#sus4 and Bbsus4 the same chord?: Yes. A#sus4 and Bbsus4 are enharmonically identical — the spelling differs but the frets and keys are the same. Which name is used depends on the key of the piece.

Practise A#sus4 on your phone

Minory bundles the full chord library with a tuner, metronome and repertoire notebook — and it all works offline.