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A♭sus4 chord

A♭sus4 (A♭ suspended fourth) is A♭, D♭ and E♭. It sounds tense in a gentle way: the fourth wants to fall to the third. Also written G♯sus4 (G♯ C♯ D♯): the same keys.

A♭sus4

A♭ suspended fourth · A♭ D♭ E♭ · 1 4 5

A♭D♭E♭

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Root
Chord

Tap keys on the piano to find which chord they make. The editor opens without an account.

Notes in the A♭sus4 chord

From A♭, count 5 half steps up to D♭ and 2 more to E♭. Its formula is 1 4 5: each number is the note’s place in the A♭ major scale, with ♭ a half step lower and ♯ a half step higher. On the piano it is all black keys.

The notes of A♭sus4 and their intervals from A♭
NoteFormulaIntervalHalf steps up
A♭1Root0
D♭4Perfect fourth5
E♭5Perfect fifth7

A♭sus4 chord inversions

An inversion is the same chord with another of its notes at the bottom. It keeps the chord’s sound but moves your hand less between chords, which is why pianists use them all the time. The notes are listed lowest first.

Root position

A♭ D♭ E♭

Written A♭sus4, with the root at the bottom.

1st inversion

D♭ E♭ A♭

Written A♭sus4/D♭: D♭ at the bottom.

2nd inversion

E♭ A♭ D♭

Written A♭sus4/E♭: E♭ at the bottom.

Keys with the A♭sus4 chord

A♭sus4 is built from the notes of these keys, so it fits songs in them. The Roman numeral says which note of the key it starts on. Each key’s page has its scale and all its chords.

Major keys
Minor keys

Chords that often come after A♭sus4

A♭A♭ C E♭A♭sus4 settles to A♭: the fourth falls to the third, as most sus4 chords do.A♭7A♭ C E♭ G♭A♭sus4 to A♭7: the same resolve with a seventh, the end of many soul and gospel phrases.D♭D♭ F A♭As the V chord, A♭sus4 pulls home to D♭.

More piano chords

Other chords on A♭

A♭G♯mA♭7A♭maj7G♯m7A♭sus2A♭add9A♭9A♭6G♯dimG♯m7♭5G♯dim7A♭aug

Suspended fourth chords on other notes

Csus4C♯sus4Dsus4E♭sus4Esus4Fsus4F♯sus4Gsus4Asus4B♭sus4Bsus4

Or see every chord at once on the piano chords chart.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the A♭sus4 chord?

A♭sus4 is A♭, D♭ and E♭. On the piano that is all black keys.

How do you play A♭sus4 on the piano?

With your right hand, put your thumb (1) on A♭, your middle finger (3) on D♭ and your little finger (5) on E♭. With your left hand it is 5, 3 and 1 on the same notes. From A♭, count 5 half steps up to D♭ and 2 more to E♭.

What are the inversions of A♭sus4?

Root position: A♭ D♭ E♭. 1st inversion: D♭ E♭ A♭ (A♭sus4/D♭). 2nd inversion: E♭ A♭ D♭ (A♭sus4/E♭). The notes are the same; only the lowest one changes.

What key is A♭sus4 in?

In major keys, A♭sus4 is the Isus4 chord in A♭ major, the Vsus4 chord in D♭ major and the VIsus4 chord in B major (written G♯sus4). In minor keys, it is the Isus4 chord in G♯ minor (written G♯sus4), the IVsus4 chord in D♯ minor (written G♯sus4) and the Vsus4 chord in C♯ minor (written G♯sus4).

Is A♭sus4 the same as G♯sus4?

On the piano, yes: the same keys. A♭sus4 (A♭ D♭ E♭) is how it is usually written; as G♯sus4 it is G♯ C♯ D♯.

Can I make a beat with A♭sus4?

Yes. “Make a beat in A♭ major” opens the free editor with a lo-fi beat in A♭ major on A♭ E♭ Fm D♭, the key where A♭sus4 is the Isus4 chord. Then change any part, add a melody and your voice, part by part. No account is needed to start.

Make a beat in A♭ major

Opens the free editor with a lo-fi beat in A♭ major on A♭ E♭ Fm D♭, the key where A♭sus4 is the Isus4 chord. Then change any part, add a melody and your voice, part by part. No account needed to start.

Make a beat in A♭ majorAll piano chords

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