Csus2 Guitar Chord
C Sus2 · C–D–G
Csus2 is the C sus2 chord: C–D–G. Its sound is open and airy — replacing the 3rd with a 2nd removes the major/minor identity and leaves shimmer.
Suspended chords are about motion: Csus2 usually resolves to plain C or Cm, and strumming between them is a songwriting trick you've heard in everything from The Who to Tom Petty. Because there's no 3rd, Csus2 works over both major and minor contexts in the key of C.
The easiest way to play Csus2 is the open-position shape (x 3 0 0 1 3, low E string to high E string), which uses open strings and stays in the first few frets. Below you'll find 8 ways to play it across the neck, from open position to barre and shell voicings, with the theory behind the chord and the progressions it lives in.
How to Play Csus2: 8 Voicings
Frets are listed from the low E string to the high E string. x = don't play that string, 0 = open string.
Csus2 Chord Theory
| Interval | R | 2 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Note | C | D | G |
Csus2 is built from the C major scale.
Csus2 Chord FAQ
What notes are in the Csus2 chord?
Csus2 contains 3 notes: C (R), D (2), G (5). The interval formula for a sus2 chord is R–2–5.
What is the easiest way to play Csus2 on guitar?
Use the open-position shape: x 3 0 0 1 3 (frets listed from the low E string to the high E string, x = don't play that string). It uses open strings, so it needs the least finger strength.
Is Csus2 a major or minor chord?
Neither — Csus2 has no 3rd, the note that decides major versus minor. That ambiguity is exactly why it's useful: it fits over both major and minor harmony.
What keys use the Csus2 chord?
Csus2 appears diatonically in C major (as I), G major (as IV), and F major (as V) — plus A minor, its relative minor key.
Related Chords
Hear yourself play Csus2
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