C sus4 (Csus4) chord on guitar

The C sus4 chord (Csus4) is a sus4 chord (a perfect fourth instead of the third), made of three notes: C – F – G.

Dots show:

Open positioneasy

A shape, fret 3hard

Position 5medium

E shape, fret 8medium

D shape, fret 10medium

C shape, fret 12medium

Tap a string on a diagram to hear just that string. The sound is generated in your browser with a physical string model.

Chord finder Transposer Tuner

What the Csus4 chord sounds like

In a sus4 chord a perfect fourth replaces the third. The fourth is 'suspended' and usually resolves down to the third (sus4 → major), a classic move at cadences.

Notes of the Csus4 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	C	root
4	F	perfect fourth (5 semitones)
5	G	perfect fifth (7 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Open position, barre at fret 1

String 1 (e): fret 1, index finger (F4)
String 2 (B): fret 1, index finger (C4)
String 3 (G): open (G3)
String 4 (D): fret 3, little finger (F3)
String 5 (A): fret 3, ring finger (C3)
String 6 (E): not played

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 1; your other fingers press the higher frets.

A shape, fret 3, barre at fret 3

String 1 (e): fret 3, index finger (G4)
String 2 (B): fret 6, little finger (F4)
String 3 (G): fret 5, ring finger (C4)
String 4 (D): fret 5, ring finger (G3)
String 5 (A): fret 3, index finger (C3)
String 6 (E): not played

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 3; your other fingers press the higher frets.

Position 5, barre at fret 5

String 1 (e): not played
String 2 (B): fret 6, middle finger (F4)
String 3 (G): fret 5, index finger (C4)
String 4 (D): fret 5, index finger (G3)
String 5 (A): fret 8, little finger (F3)
String 6 (E): fret 8, little finger (C3)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 5; your other fingers press the higher frets.

The “C, A, G, E and D shapes” are the CAGED system: you slide the shape of the open C, A, G, E or D chord up the neck and your index finger (a barre) takes over the job of the nut. That way the same chord can be played in five places, anywhere on the fretboard.

Tuning: E A D G B E (low to high). String 6 is the thickest, the low E. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Playing Csus4 with a capo

A capo clamps all the strings at one fret, so a familiar open shape sounds higher. You can also get a Csus4 chord with these open shapes:

Capo: fret 3
shape: Asus4

Capo: fret 5
shape: Gsus4

Rework a whole song for a capo: chord transposer →

Which keys is it in?

The Csus4 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

C major: Isus4 (tonic)
C minor: Isus4 (tonic)
F major: Vsus4 (dominant)
F minor: Vsus4 (dominant)
G minor: IVsus4 (subdominant)
A♭ major: IIIsus4
E♭ major: VIsus4
B♭ major: IIsus4
D minor: VIIsus4
A minor: IIIsus4

Similar chords and substitutes

If Csus4 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

C – resolves the suspension to major
Cm – or to minor

Same notes

Fsus2 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

C5 – all 2 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

C7sus4 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
C11 – the same chord plus 3 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Csus4 chord?

C, F, G. The root is C; the intervals of the other notes from the root: perfect fourth, perfect fifth.

What is the easiest way to play Csus4 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Open position”, rated easy. We show 6 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck. With a capo you can also play it as a Asus4 shape at fret 3 or a Gsus4 shape at fret 5.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

How is the Csus4 chord written?

The chord symbol is Csus4, and its full name is C sus4.