B sus4 (Bsus4) chord on mandolin

The B sus4 chord (Bsus4) is a sus4 chord (a perfect fourth instead of the third), made of three notes: B – E – F♯.

Dots show:

Basic shapeeasy

Position 4medium

Position 7medium

Position 9easy

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

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What the Bsus4 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 Bsus4 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	B	root
4	E	perfect fourth (5 semitones)
5	F♯	perfect fifth (7 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (E): open (E5)
String 2 (A): fret 2, index finger (B4)
String 3 (D): fret 4, little finger (F♯4)
String 4 (G): fret 4, ring finger (B3)

Position 4, barre at fret 4

String 1 (E): fret 7, little finger (B5)
String 2 (A): fret 7, little finger (E5)
String 3 (D): fret 4, index finger (F♯4)
String 4 (G): fret 4, index finger (B3)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 4; your other fingers press the higher frets.

Position 7

String 1 (E): fret 7, index finger (B5)
String 2 (A): fret 9, ring finger (F♯5)
String 3 (D): fret 9, ring finger (B4)
String 4 (G): fret 9, ring finger (E4)

Tuning: G D A E, like a violin; every note is a pair of strings that you fret together. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The Bsus4 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

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

Similar chords and substitutes

If Bsus4 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

B – resolves the suspension to major
Bm – or to minor

Same notes

Esus2 – the same notes with a different root

Richer versions

B7sus4 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
B11 – the same chord plus 3 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Bsus4 chord?

B, E, F♯. The root is B; the intervals of the other notes from the root: perfect fourth, perfect fifth.

What is the easiest way to play Bsus4 on mandolin?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”, rated easy. We show 4 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

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.

Why do some songbooks write H instead of B?

In German and Central European notation, H is the note B, and B is the note B♭. So a “B” chord in a German or Hungarian songbook is B♭ in English notation, and an “H” chord is B. Always check which notation your chord chart uses.