Which strings do I strum for A suspended two?

5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.

What notes are in a A suspended two chord?

A, B, E. The A is the root, the note the chord is named after. There is no third, so it is neither major nor minor.

What chords go with Asus2?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, D and E, and its relative minor, F#m. Songs move between these because they share notes.

suspended second chord

A suspended two chord on guitar

A with the B string open. Two fingers, wide open sound.

Loading the guitar…

Where the fingers go

1
index finger, D string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D.
2
middle finger, G string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D G.
3
Leave the A, B, thin e strings open
They ring without any finger. They are part of the chord.
4
Strum 5 strings, from the A string down
Skip the thick E. It would add a note that does not belong.

The same shape seen along the neck, thin e on top. Numbers are fingers; 0 is an open string.

The notes in Asus2

A chord is three or four notes played together. A suspended two is built from these:

Note	Job in the chord	Where it is in this shape
A	root	A string, open; G string, fret 2
B	second	B string, open
E	fifth	D string, fret 2; thin e string, open

The root, A, is the note it is named after. There is no third in this chord, the note that would make it major or minor, which is why it sounds open and airy.

Where it sits on the circle of fifths

The circle of fifths lines up the twelve keys so that neighbours share the most notes. Chords next to each other on the circle sound good one after the other, which is why songs move between them.

D and E are Asus2’s neighbours. Most songs in Asus2 use one or both.
F#m is its relative minor: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

Three fingers instead of two

Only the D and G strings are pressed. Leave the B string open; that is the point.

Tip

A, Asus2, A

Lift the ring finger off A and you have Asus2. Put it back to resolve.

Songs that use it

Intros in A and E. Common in folk and indie strumming.

None of the songs on the site use Asus2 yet. It is coming with the next batch.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for A suspended two?: 5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.
What notes are in a A suspended two chord?: A, B, E. The A is the root, the note the chord is named after. There is no third, so it is neither major nor minor.
What chords go with Asus2?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, D and E, and its relative minor, F#m. Songs move between these because they share notes.