Dbsus2 Guitar Chord
Db Sus2 · also written C#sus2 · Db–Eb–Ab
Dbsus2 is the Db sus2 chord: Db–Eb–Ab. Its sound is open and airy — replacing the 3rd with a 2nd removes the major/minor identity and leaves shimmer. It's also written as C#sus2 — same notes, same shapes, different spelling.
Suspended chords are about motion: Dbsus2 usually resolves to plain Db or Dbm, and strumming between them is a songwriting trick you've heard in everything from The Who to Tom Petty. Because there's no 3rd, Dbsus2 works over both major and minor contexts in the key of Db.
The most common way to play Dbsus2 is the suspended spread at the 9th fret (9 x 11 13 9 11, low E string to high E string). Below you'll find 3 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 Dbsus2: 3 Voicings
Frets are listed from the low E string to the high E string. x = don't play that string, 0 = open string.
Dbsus2 Chord Theory
| Interval | R | 2 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Note | Db | Eb | Ab |
Dbsus2 is built from the Db major scale.
Dbsus2 Chord FAQ
What notes are in the Dbsus2 chord?
Dbsus2 contains 3 notes: Db (R), Eb (2), Ab (5). The interval formula for a sus2 chord is R–2–5.
What is the easiest way to play Dbsus2 on guitar?
Use the suspended spread at the 9th fret: 9 x 11 13 9 11 (frets listed from the low E string to the high E string, x = don't play that string). Dbsus2 has no open-position shape in standard tuning, so this movable form is the standard starting point.
Is Dbsus2 a major or minor chord?
Neither — Dbsus2 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.
Is Dbsus2 the same as C#sus2?
Yes. Db and C# are enharmonic equivalents — the same pitch written two ways. Dbsus2 and C#sus2 use identical shapes and frets; which spelling you see depends on the key of the song.
What keys use the Dbsus2 chord?
Dbsus2 appears diatonically in Db major (as I), Ab major (as IV), and F# major (as V) — plus Bb minor, its relative minor key.
Related Chords
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