C♯sus4 Chord

The C♯sus4 chord is a suspended fourth chord built on the root note C♯. Its notes are C♯, F♯ and G♯. It is enharmonically the same chord as D♭sus4.

Suspended fourth chords feel tense and expectant. The fourth wants to resolve down to the third, which makes sus4 a classic tool for building energy right before a major or minor chord.

C♯sus4 on piano

Piano diagram of the C♯sus4 chordC♯F♯G♯C♯F♯G♯C♯sus4 — C♯ · F♯ · G♯

To play C♯sus4 on piano, place your right-hand thumb on C♯, middle finger on F♯, and little finger on G♯. Press all keys at the same time and listen for a clear, balanced sound. Practice switching to and from this chord slowly, then with a metronome at a comfortable tempo.

C♯sus4 on guitar

Guitar chord diagram of the C♯sus4 chord9frC♯sus4

On guitar, C♯sus4 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. If the chord contains barred notes, keep your index finger flat across the fretboard and curve the other fingers so they do not mute the open strings. Strum only the strings marked as active in the diagram for the cleanest tone.

Play the chord

C♯sus4
C♯ · F♯ · G♯

C♯sus4 chord notes

Formula: 1 · 4 · 5Notes: C♯ · F♯ · G♯Also known as: D♭sus4
DegreeIntervalSemitonesNote
1Root0C♯(C#)
4Perfect fourth5F♯(F#)
5Perfect fifth7G♯(G#)

How to use the C♯sus4 chord

The C♯sus4 chord is built from a root, a perfect fourth and a perfect fifth. Starting from the root C♯, stack the intervals to get the complete chord: C♯, F♯ and G♯. Learning the formula is the fastest way to transpose the chord to any other key.

Suspended fourth chords appear in rock riffs, worship music and folk. They usually sit right before the corresponding major chord, creating a strong pull into the downbeat.

Common progressions

The C♯sus4 chord works beautifully in these progressions. Click a chord name to jump to its page.

Pop progression
I → V → vi → IV
C♯G♯A♯mF♯
Classic I-IV-V
I → IV → V → I
C♯F♯G♯C♯
50s progression
I → vi → IV → V
C♯A♯mF♯G♯

Related chords to C♯sus4

Once you are comfortable with C♯sus4, explore neighbouring chords to unlock new progressions. The chords below share notes, keys or functions with C♯sus4 and are a natural next step in your practice.

Csus4
C · F · G
Dsus4
D · G · A
E♭sus4
E♭ · A♭ · B♭
Esus4
E · A · B
C♯ Major
C♯ · F · G♯
C♯ Minor
C♯ · E · G♯
C♯7
C♯ · F · G♯ · B
C♯maj7
C♯ · F · G♯ · C
A♭sus4
A♭ · D♭ · E♭
F♯sus4
F♯ · B · C♯

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C♯sus4 chord?
The C♯sus4 chord contains C♯, F♯ and G♯ (C#, F# and G# in plain text).
Is the C♯sus4 chord major or minor?
C♯sus4 is a suspended fourth chord. Suspended fourth chords feel tense and expectant. The fourth wants to resolve down to the third, which makes sus4 a classic tool for building energy right before a major or minor chord.
How do you play C♯sus4 on piano?
Place your fingers on C♯, F♯ and G♯ and play the notes together. On piano, the root is usually played with the little finger of the left hand and the upper notes with the right hand.
How do you play C♯sus4 on guitar?
C♯sus4 is typically played using the fingering shown in the interactive diagram above. You can also try an open position if one of the chord tones lines up with an open string.
What is another name for the C♯sus4 chord?
C♯sus4 is enharmonically equivalent to D♭sus4. Both chord names describe exactly the same notes, but the spelling depends on the key you are playing in.

Keep exploring

Deepen your understanding of the C♯sus4 chord with our other music theory tools.

Browse all chordsTry the PianoOpen Circle of Fifths