D♭ suspended 4th chord on piano
D♭sus4 is a suspended 4th chord built on D♭. It uses the notes D♭ - G♭ - A♭ and sounds unresolved; it usually settles back to the major chord. It is also written as C♯ suspended 4th.
- Notes
- D♭ G♭ A♭
- Formula
- 1 - 4 - 5
- Right hand fingering
- 1 - 3 - 5
- Left hand fingering
- 5 - 3 - 1
- Chord symbol
- D♭sus4
How to play D♭sus4 step by step
- Find D♭. D♭ is the first black key in each group of two. The same key is also called C♯.
- Add G♭, 5 half steps above D♭.
- Add A♭, 7 half steps above D♭.
- 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.
D♭sus4 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 D♭ suspended 4th chord?
The D♭ suspended 4th chord (D♭sus4) contains 3 notes: D♭, G♭, A♭. Its formula is 1 - 4 - 5.
How do you play D♭sus4 on piano?
Put your right-hand thumb on D♭ and play D♭, G♭, A♭ together using fingers 1 - 3 - 5. With the left hand, use fingers 5 - 3 - 1.
Is D♭ suspended 4th the same as C♯ suspended 4th?
Yes. D♭ suspended 4th and C♯ suspended 4th use exactly the same piano keys. The name you see depends on the key signature of the piece.