C suspended second
How to play Csus2 — Suspended second
Csus2 (Suspended second)C · D · G
Piano samples: Salamander Grand Piano (CC-BY 3.0)
C suspended second — notes and structure
The Csus2 chord replaces the third with the second for an airy, open sound common in folk and pop.
The Csus2 suspended second consists of the notes C, D, G. Its interval structure is R–2–5 — the root, then each chord tone stacked above it. This is the same chord you see in the interactive finder above, drawn on the piano keyboard with the root circled and every chord tone labelled.
Csus2 stacks a major second (D) and a perfect fifth (G) above the root C.
To play Csus2, press the keys C, D, G together — the root C is circled on the interactive keyboard above.
What key is Csus2 in?
Every note of Csus2 belongs to the scales below, so the chord sounds at home in each of these keys — the roman numeral is the degree it sits on.
- C major — the I chord
- G major — the IV chord
- F major — the V chord
- B♭ major — the II chord
Chords that go with Csus2
In C major, the chords built on the first, fourth and fifth degrees carry most songs — put Csus2 next to these:
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the C suspended second chord on piano?
- The Csus2 chord is made of the notes C, D, G. It replaces the third with the second for an airy, open sound common in folk and pop.
- How do you play C suspended second on the piano?
- Press C, D, G at the same time, with the root C as the lowest note. The interactive keyboard above lights up the exact keys.
- What is the suspended second chord formula?
- Its interval structure is R–2–5 above the root — the same shape transposed to any of the twelve keys.
- What key does Csus2 belong to?
- Csus2 fits C major (where it is the I chord), G major (where it is the IV chord), F major (where it is the V chord) — every note of the chord is in those scales.