suspended fourth chord
A♭, D♭ and E♭
- Root
- A♭
- Perfect fourth
- D♭
- Perfect fifth
- E♭
Formula
1 4 5 (5, 7 half steps above A♭)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | A♭ | D♭ | E♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
A♭sus4 inversions
A♭sus4 has 2 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
A♭sus4
Root position
| Notes | A♭ | D♭ | E♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
A♭sus4/D♭
First inversion
| Notes | D♭ | E♭ | A♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 1 |
A♭sus4/E♭
Second inversion
| Notes | E♭ | A♭ | D♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Where A♭sus4 fits
A♭sus4 has no third, so it is neither major nor minor. All of its notes are in A♭ major, D♭ major and G♭ major, so it fits naturally in those keys.
How A♭sus4 is built
A♭ is the root, D♭ the perfect fourth and E♭ the perfect fifth.
A sus4 chord swaps the third for the fourth, 5 half steps above the root. The fourth often steps down to the third next, turning A♭sus4 into A♭ major.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of A♭sus4 are A, D, E. That is why it is spelled A♭, D♭ and E♭.
Find A♭sus4 yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 3
Tap the notes of A♭sus4, in any octave and any order.
Practice A♭sus4 in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the A♭sus4 chord?
A♭sus4 has three notes: A♭, D♭ and E♭. A♭ is the root, D♭ the perfect fourth and E♭ the perfect fifth.
What fingers do you use for A♭sus4 on piano?
In root position, play A♭, D♭ and E♭ with right hand fingers 1, 4 and 5 (thumb, ring finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 2 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of A♭sus4?
A♭sus4 has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (A♭sus4/D♭): D♭, E♭ and A♭. Second inversion (A♭sus4/E♭): E♭, A♭ and D♭.
What is a suspended fourth chord?
A sus4 chord swaps the third for the fourth, 5 half steps above the root. The fourth often steps down to the third next, turning A♭sus4 into A♭ major. All the notes of A♭sus4 are in A♭ major, D♭ major and G♭ major.