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A♭sus4 Chord on Guitar

A♭sus4 is the A♭ suspended 4th chord — 3 notes (A♭, D♭, E♭) built from the formula 1 4 5. Below are playable shapes across the fretboard, the keys it belongs to and the scales to use when soloing over it.

Notes: A♭ · D♭ · E♭Formula: 1 · 4 · 5Hear it and see it on the fretboard ▸

A♭sus4: Chord shapes (open & barre)

  • A♭sus4 – fret 1R45R4×fret 1
  • A♭sus4 – fret 44R4R45Rfret 4
  • A♭sus4 – fret 66××R5R4fret 6
  • A♭sus4 – fret 88×R45R×fret 8
  • A♭sus4 – fret 1111×R4R45fret 11

A♭sus4: Triad voicings (3 strings)

  • A♭sus4 – bass: RR45×××bass: R
  • A♭sus4 – bass: R8×R45××bass: R
  • A♭sus4 – bass: R4××R45×bass: R
  • A♭sus4 – bass: R11×××R45bass: R
  • A♭sus4 – bass: 4645R×××bass: 4
  • A♭sus4 – bass: 4×45R××bass: 4
  • A♭sus4 – bass: 48××45R×bass: 4
  • A♭sus4 – bass: 44×××45Rbass: 4
  • A♭sus4 – bass: 5115R4×××bass: 5
  • A♭sus4 – bass: 56×5R4××bass: 5
  • A♭sus4 – bass: 5××5R4×bass: 5
  • A♭sus4 – bass: 58×××5R4bass: 5

Keys that contain A♭sus4

Scales to play over A♭sus4

Ordered from the most common choice. All of them contain A♭, D♭, E♭.

Other A♭ chords

Triads

Sevenths

Sixths

Added

Extended

Suspended 4th chords in other keys

FAQ

What notes are in the A♭sus4 chord?
A♭sus4 (A♭ suspended 4th) contains A♭, D♭, E♭ — formula 1 4 5.
How do you play A♭sus4 on guitar?
A common shape is 44112x (low E to high E, x = muted string, around fret 1). This page shows more shapes, drop 2, drop 3 and shell voicings in the interactive library.
What scale goes with A♭sus4?
Good choices to solo over A♭sus4: A♭ Mixolydian, A♭ Ionian (Major), A♭ Dorian.
What key is A♭sus4 in?
A♭sus4 is diatonic in D♭ major (Vsus4), E major (IIIsus4), F♯ major (IIsus4), A♭ major (Isus4), B major (VIsus4), C♯ minor (Vsus4).