suspended fourth chord
D♭, G♭ and A♭
- Root
- D♭
- Perfect fourth
- G♭
- Perfect fifth
- A♭
Formula
1 4 5 (5, 7 half steps above D♭)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | D♭ | G♭ | A♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
D♭sus4 inversions
D♭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.
D♭sus4
Root position
| Notes | D♭ | G♭ | A♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
D♭sus4/G♭
First inversion
| Notes | G♭ | A♭ | D♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 1 |
D♭sus4/A♭
Second inversion
| Notes | A♭ | D♭ | G♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Where D♭sus4 fits
D♭sus4 has no third, so it is neither major nor minor. All of its notes are in D♭ major and G♭ major, so it fits naturally in those keys.
How D♭sus4 is built
D♭ is the root, G♭ the perfect fourth and A♭ 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 D♭sus4 into D♭ major.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of D♭sus4 are D, G, A. That is why it is spelled D♭, G♭ and A♭.
Find D♭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 D♭sus4, in any octave and any order.
Practice D♭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 D♭sus4 chord?
D♭sus4 has three notes: D♭, G♭ and A♭. D♭ is the root, G♭ the perfect fourth and A♭ the perfect fifth.
What fingers do you use for D♭sus4 on piano?
In root position, play D♭, G♭ and A♭ 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 D♭sus4?
D♭sus4 has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (D♭sus4/G♭): G♭, A♭ and D♭. Second inversion (D♭sus4/A♭): A♭, D♭ and G♭.
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 D♭sus4 into D♭ major. All the notes of D♭sus4 are in D♭ major and G♭ major.