- Csus4
- Fmaj7
Csus4 Guitar Chord
Everything about the C Suspended 4th chord: How to play it, what it's built from, the chords it pairs with, and examples of pros using it in real performances.
NotesC • F • G
Difficulty
Easy
Open-position Csus4 shape
What is the Csus4 chord?
The Csus4 chord is a three-note suspended chord built from C as the root, replacing the major third with a perfect fourth (F), and adding the perfect fifth (G)—giving you C · F · G. Its sound is open and unresolved, hovering between tension and calm, neither major nor minor, which makes it perfect for folk, rock, pop, and contemporary worship music. The open-position voicing (x-3-3-0-1-1) is remarkably easy to play, making it one of the first suspended chords most guitarists learn.
Notes & intervals
The Csus4 chord spells C (root/1), F (perfect fourth/P4), and G (perfect fifth/P5). The perfect fourth is the signature interval that gives this chord its suspended, unresolved character—it replaces the major third you'd expect in a C major triad, creating that distinctive open, waiting quality.
Where it's used
Csus4 appears frequently in folk, rock, pop, and contemporary worship settings, often as a color chord or passing voicing between I and IV. It's also common in singer-songwriter and indie music, where its open, unresolved quality adds emotional texture without heavy harmonic weight.
Csus4 vs. Csus4
Csus4 differs from Cmaj by swapping the major third (E) for a perfect fourth (F). This single note change transforms the chord from bright and resolved to open and suspended, removing the major quality and creating a sense of anticipation rather than arrival.
Mood & character
Csus4 feels open, contemplative, and slightly unresolved—neither happy nor sad, but waiting. Reach for it when you want to create space, add texture to a progression, or signal a moment of pause or reflection in your song.
Voicings for Csus4
Four ways to play it using the same three notes. Pick a voicing below to hear it on the fretboard.
- NotesC • F • G • C • FDifficultyEasy
Open-position Csus4 shape
Progressions that use Csus4
Hear how the chord works in context of songs.
Learn to play Csus4 from the experts
Handpicked lessons from TrueFire courses that lean on this chord.
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Frequently asked questions for Csus4
Csus4 is built from three notes: C (the root), F (a perfect fourth above C), and G (a perfect fifth above C). The "sus4" means you're suspending the major third (which would normally be E in a C major chord) and replacing it with the fourth (F), creating that open, unresolved sound.
The easiest open-position voicing is x-3-3-0-1-1. Place your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the A string, your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the D string, and barre the B and high E strings at the 1st fret with your index finger. Leave the G string open and mute the low E string. Strum from the A string down.
Csus4 replaces the major third with a perfect fourth (F), while Csus2 replaces it with a major second (D). Csus4 sounds more open and waiting, while Csus2 feels brighter and more contemporary. Both are suspended chords, but they have different emotional colors and are used in different musical contexts.
Csus4 works well as a passing chord between C major and F major, or as an opening chord to set an open, contemplative mood. It's perfect for folk, rock, and singer-songwriter styles, and it's often used in worship music. Use it when you want to create space or add texture without resolving to a traditional major or minor chord.
Absolutely. Csus4 is a movable shape. If you slide the entire x-3-5-5-6-3 pattern up two frets, you get Dsus4. Move it up five frets and you get Fsus4. This makes it easy to transpose the chord to any key while keeping the same fingering pattern and open sound.