B Flat Sus4 Chord

How to play B♭sus4 on guitar

Read the diagrams with the low E string on the left. × means do not play that string, ○ means play it open.

Easier way: there is no open B♭sus4 shape, so it is usually played with one of the movable shapes above. With a capo you can use a shape you already know: capo on fret 1 and play the Asus4 shape, or capo on fret 3 and play the Gsus4 shape.

How to play B♭sus4 on piano

Play B♭, E♭, F together. With your right hand, use fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb on B♭). Your left hand can play B♭ an octave lower for a fuller sound.

How B♭sus4 is used

A sus4 chord takes out the third and puts the fourth in its place. B♭sus4 has E♭ where B♭ has D. With no third, the chord is neither major nor minor, and it sounds like it is waiting to go somewhere.

Most of the time the E♭ drops one step and the chord settles back into B♭. Try these:

• B♭ - B♭sus4 - B♭: a quick change that adds movement while you strum one chord.
• B♭sus4 - B♭ - E♭: the sus4 builds a little tension before the five chord resolves to E♭.

Related chords

• B♭ (B flat major)
• B♭m (B flat minor)
• B♭7 (B flat seventh)
• B♭maj7 (B flat major seventh)
• B♭m7 (B flat minor seventh)
• All chords in the library

Change this chord into another key with the Chord Transposer, or look up any other chord or scale in the Chord and Scale Finder.