Esus2 Chord on Guitar
Esus2 = E – F# – B (Root, Major 2nd, Perfect 5th)
A chord is the same notes however you stack them, and which one sits at the bottom changes how it sounds. The chord builder puts each of Esus2's notes in the bass in turn, names the result, and plays it.
Hear every inversion of Esus2 →Esus2 replaces the third of the open E chord with a second, built here from the movable E-shape sus2 template rather than the more commonly seen simplified open-position Esus2 shape guitarists often learn as a beginner variant. This version keeps all six strings active and involves a real stretch on the D string.
The notes are E, F#, and B — root, second, fifth, with no third present at all. As a suspension of E major it carries an open, unresolved quality that naturally wants to move to the plain triad, making it a favorite ornamental chord in rock and folk intros where the suspension is struck first and resolved to E a beat or two later.
Fingerings
Open Position
How to Practice It
This particular six-string voicing asks the fretting hand to reach the D string two frets higher than the neighboring A and D-area notes in the shape, a genuine stretch that's more demanding than it might look given how close to the nut the chord sits. Many guitarists instead learn a simpler open Esus2 that only touches four strings and skips this stretch entirely — worth knowing both, since the leaner version is easier while this fuller one rings with more low-string weight.
Common Progressions
- Esus2 – E (a classic suspension-to-resolution move)
- Esus2 – A – Esus2 – E (a rock intro pattern)
- E – Esus2 – Esus4 – E (a common ornamental sequence)
- Esus2 – B – A – E (I(sus2) – V – IV – I)
FAQ
- Why is Esus2 a wider stretch than it looks?
- The full six-string E-shape sus2 template asks the fretting hand to reach the D string a full two frets above its neighboring notes, a genuine stretch even in open position where most other shapes are comfortably close together.
- Is there an easier version of Esus2?
- Yes — many players learn a simplified four-string open Esus2 that omits the wide D-string stretch entirely, which is the version most beginners are taught first, even though the full six-string shape used here is a valid and fuller-sounding alternative.
- Why does Esus2 lack a third?
- By definition, a sus2 chord replaces the third with a second, which is exactly what removes the note that would otherwise identify the chord as major or minor, giving it that characteristic open, ambiguous color.
- How is Esus2 typically used in a progression?
- As a brief suspension immediately before resolving to plain E major, a classic ornamental technique in rock and folk guitar where the suspended chord is struck first for tension and the plain triad follows for release.
- Does Esus2 ever function as a chord in its own right rather than a suspension?
- In some ambient or open-tuning-influenced guitar writing, yes, sus2 chords are sustained on their own for their open color rather than resolved anywhere, though the traditional usage treats them as a passing suspension.
- How does Esus2 compare to Esus4?
- Esus4 replaces the third with a fourth instead of a second, giving a slightly different, generally more common flavor of suspension — the two are often alternated with each other and with the plain triad in the same phrase.
- Is Esus2 harder to play than plain open E major?
- Yes, specifically because of the stretch to the D string — plain E major's three fretted notes sit close together, while Esus2's four fretted notes spread the hand across a wider span.
Esus2 on other instruments: Esus2 on Piano, Esus2 on Ukulele. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.