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