A Suspended 2nd Guitar Chord
Voicing Positions (6)
Interval Colors
In Chord8, every interval has a unique color. The colors follow the function of each note relative to the root — so they change when you switch chords.
A Suspended 2nd Chord
The A Suspended 2nd chord is built from the intervals: Root, Major 2nd, and Perfect 5th. It contains the notes A, B, and E. This is a suspended triad — one of the foundational chord types.
What A Suspended 2nd Is
The A Suspended 2nd is a suspended second chord — the third is replaced by the major second above the root. This produces a quietly unresolved character: the chord refuses to commit to major or minor, and naturally pulls toward a resolution where the second drops to the third. Sus2 voicings sound bright and modern, common in folk and singer-songwriter material.
How A Suspended 2nd Sounds
The suspended quality gives A Suspended 2nd a sense of motion. It can either resolve directly into the parent major or minor chord, or be left hanging as a colour chord. In acoustic guitar arrangements, sus chords are often used to add melodic interest to a static harmony — strumming through A major, A sus4, A major creates the classic folk-rock sound of an embellished tonic.
How To Use A Suspended 2nd In A Progression
Suspended chords almost always either resolve to or come from the parent major chord. They are most common as embellishments on the I, IV, and V chords of a key, adding melodic interest without changing the underlying harmony.
Playing A Suspended 2nd On Guitar
On guitar, the voicings shown above represent practical fingerings across different positions of the neck. Open and low-fret voicings tend to sound fullest because of the ringing open strings; higher voicings give a tighter, more focused sound. Try each voicing in context — the right one is whichever sits best under your melody.
Related Chords
Same quality (Suspended 2nd)
See the music. Every interval has a color.
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