What is A Suspended 4?
The A Suspended 4 guitar chord is formed by the notes A – D – E and is played using the fingering x02230. It’s a suspended chord commonly used in Asus4-A-D.
A Suspended 4 Chord Diagram
Standard Position
6th (E) string: Don't play
5th (A) string: Open
4th (D) string: 2th fret
3rd (G) string: 2th fret
2nd (B) string: 3th fret
1st (E) string: Open
How to Play A Suspended 4
- Place fingertips close to the fret wire using the diagram x02230.
- Arch fingers so they don’t touch adjacent strings; keep thumb behind the neck.
- Pick each string to check for buzz or mute; adjust pressure and curl.
- Strum slow down-strums; add down–down–up–up–down–up when clean.
Pro Tip: Practice chord changes with a metronome at 70–90 BPM for one-minute rounds.
A Suspended 4 Variations
Asus4add9
x02030
Adds the 9th for extra color
Asus4/D
x52230
First inversion with D in bass
Popular Songs Using A Suspended 4
Famous Examples:
- • Wonderwall
- • Champagne Supernova
More Hits:
- • Don't Look Back in Anger
- • Live Forever
Common Chord Progressions with A Suspended 4
Asus4-A-D
Classic resolution progression
D-Asus4-Bm-G
Popular folk progression
Asus4-D-E-Asus4
A popular progression used in many songs
Practice Tips for A Suspended 4
1. Tension and Release
Creates strong tension that resolves beautifully to A major
2. Folk and Rock Essential
Essential for folk and rock progressions
Music Theory Behind A Suspended 4
Notes in A Suspended 4: A - D - E
Scale: A - B - C# - D - E - F# - G# - A
Key Signature: Three sharps (F#, C#, G#)
Relative Major: F#m
Asus4 replaces the major third (C#) with the fourth (D), creating tension that strongly wants to resolve to A major.
Related Chords to Learn
Master A Suspended 4 Today!
A Suspended 4 is perfect for beginners. Practice daily and you'll have it mastered in no time!