Bbsus2 is a B flat chord with its third taken out and replaced by the second, C. Without the third, the chord stops saying major or minor: it sounds open, a little unresolved, like a breath before the next chord. On the neck it costs almost nothing once you know Bb, because only one string changes.
Bbsus2 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: B flat suspended second
- Symbol: Bbsus2
- Notes: Bb, C, F
Each shape below is written from the thickest string to the thinnest: a
number is the fret, 0 an open string, x a string you
do not play. New to this? See how to read chord diagrams.
| Shape | Frets, low E to high E | Notes, low to high | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bbsus2, four strings | xx3311 | F Bb C F | The quick version: first finger across the top two strings, F in the bass. Complete, no full barre. |
| Bbsus2, no high E | x1331x | Bb F Bb C | Root on the fifth string, high E left silent. A small barre covers the fifth and second strings together. |
| Bbsus2, barre | x13311 | Bb F Bb C F | The full chord: the Asus2 shape barred at the first fret. Bb with the B string dropped from fret 3 to fret 1. |
Read each diagram from the thickest string on the left to the thinnest on the right. A cross means the string is not played, a circle means it rings open.
Bbsus2 on the neck: every Bb, C, F
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of Bbsus2: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still Bbsus2.
From Bb to Bbsus2: one string
Compare the two chords side by side. The barre at fret 1 and the notes on the D and G strings stay put. Only the B string moves.
| Chord | Shape | Notes | B string |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bb | x13331 | Bb, D, F | fret 3, D (the third) |
| Bbsus2 | x13311 | Bb, C, F | fret 1, C (the second) |
That is why the fingering changes too. In Bb, one finger lies flat across three strings at fret 3. In Bbsus2, the third and fourth fingers take the D and G strings separately, and the barre does the rest.
How to play Bbsus2
1. Four strings: xx3311
Lay the first finger across the B and high E strings at fret 1. Third finger on the D string at fret 3, fourth finger on the G string at fret 3. Strum the top four strings. The lowest note is F.
2. The barre: x13311
Extend the first finger down to the fifth string so it also sounds Bb at fret 1. Now it presses three notes: Bb, C and F. Check each one by picking the strings slowly; the B string, right under the crease of the first joint, is the one that usually dies. Roll the finger slightly onto its bony edge to fix it.
How Bbsus2 is used
A sus2 chord is almost always a color around its parent chord, not a destination. Three uses come back again and again:
- Bb, Bbsus2, Bb: lift the B string to the barre and put it back, inside a strum. The chord breathes without changing.
- In place of Bb: where the melody avoids D, Bbsus2 can stand in for the whole bar and sounds more open.
- Between barre chords: in a loop like Am, F, Bbsus2, C, it softens the move and keeps the first finger planted at fret 1.
Many chord charts of the Rolling Stones' Angie write Bbsus2 among Am, E, G, F and C: listen for the open, unsettled sound before the next chord arrives. For the same color on other roots, see Csus2, Dsus2 and Esus2.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Bbsus2 on guitar?
What notes are in Bbsus2?
Is Bbsus2 the same as Fsus4?
What is the difference between Bbsus2 and Bbadd9?
Who made this
Guitar Social Club is the work of Yohann Abbou, a guitar teacher in Paris who teaches adults. Every shape on this page is written string by string and checked against standard tuning, and the diagrams are drawn from those same fret numbers. The rest of our free guitar tools, including the chord finder, work the same way.
More about Yohann on his page, and about why Guitar Social Club exists.