The E sus 4 chord contains the notes E, A and B. It is produced by taking the 1 (root), 4 and 5 of the E Major scale. It is essentially an E Major chord, with the 3rd (G#) taken out and the 4th (A) added in.
By omitting the 3rd and adding the 4th, the chord feels ‘suspended‘. The 4th creates a feeling of tension, which feels resolved when the chord moves to the standard Major chord (bringing the 3rd back in). To demonstrate this, try the following chord progression:
E Major – E sus 4 – E Major
Just by strumming those three chords once each, you will hear the the tension that is created by moving to the E sus 4 chord. You will also hear the resolution that is created by moving from the sus chord back to the Major chord.
E sus 4 is often used as a way of adding flavour to the E Major chord. The E sus 4 chord is often substituted momentarily, when playing the E chord, to create a quick sense of musical movement and interest.
The most common way to play the E suspended 4 chord is in the open position (first shape in the pic below).
10 Ways To Play The E Sus 4 Chord
If you’ve come to this page just to view some chord diagrams for E suspended 4, here they are.
Some Quick E Sus 4 Chord Theory
- The E suspended 4 chord contains the notes E, A and B.
- The E sus 4 chord is produced by taking the 1 (root), 4, 5 of the E Major scale.
- E sus 4 often resolves to E Major. They work together like a pair.
- The 4th (A) sounds like it is suspended in the chord and wants to resolve.
Further Reading
