A♭ suspended 2nd chord on piano
A♭sus2 is a suspended 2nd chord built on A♭. It uses the notes A♭ - B♭ - E♭ and sounds open and airy, neither major nor minor. It is also written as G♯ suspended 2nd.
- Notes
- A♭ B♭ E♭
- Formula
- 1 - 2 - 5
- Right hand fingering
- 1 - 3 - 5
- Left hand fingering
- 5 - 3 - 1
- Chord symbol
- A♭sus2
How to play A♭sus2 step by step
- Find A♭. A♭ is the middle black key in each group of three. The same key is also called G♯.
- Add B♭, 2 half steps above A♭.
- Add E♭, 7 half steps above A♭.
- Press all 3 keys together with fingers 1 - 3 - 5 of your right hand. Keep your wrist level and let the weight of your arm do the work.
A♭sus2 inversions
An inversion uses the same notes in a different order. Inversions let your hand move less between chords, which is how pianists make chord changes sound smooth.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A♭ suspended 2nd chord?
The A♭ suspended 2nd chord (A♭sus2) contains 3 notes: A♭, B♭, E♭. Its formula is 1 - 2 - 5.
How do you play A♭sus2 on piano?
Put your right-hand thumb on A♭ and play A♭, B♭, E♭ together using fingers 1 - 3 - 5. With the left hand, use fingers 5 - 3 - 1.
Is A♭ suspended 2nd the same as G♯ suspended 2nd?
Yes. A♭ suspended 2nd and G♯ suspended 2nd use exactly the same piano keys. The name you see depends on the key signature of the piece.