Csus4 is a C chord holding its breath. The third, E, is replaced by F, one half step higher, and the ear waits for it to come back down. That is how you use it: almost never on its own, nearly always on the way back to C. The open shape takes one finger more than C, and the move between the two is one of the most useful little gestures in rhythm guitar.
Csus4 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: C suspended fourth
- Symbol: Csus4
- Notes: C, F, G
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Csus4, open | x33011 | C F G C F | The standard open Csus4: a C chord where F takes the place of E. |
| Csus4, open (G on top) | x33013 | C F G C G | The same chord with G on the high E string. Easier to slide in and out of from a C played with G on top. |
| Csus4, barre at the third fret | x35563 | C G C F G | The A sus4 shape barred at fret 3. Move the fourth finger down one fret and it becomes a barred C. |
| Csus4, barre at the eighth fret | 8 10 10 10 8 8 | C G C F G C | The E sus4 shape at fret 8, all six strings, C in the bass. |
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.
Csus4 on the neck: every C, F, G
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of Csus4: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still Csus4.
How to play Csus4, step by step
1. The open shape: x33011
Third finger on the fifth string (A) at fret 3: that is C. Fourth finger on the fourth string (D) at fret 3: that is F, the suspended note. Lay the first finger flat across the second and first strings at fret 1, for C and F. The third string rings open, giving G. Start the strum on the fifth string.
2. The variant: x33013
If the small barre gives you trouble, try this one. Second finger on the fifth string at fret 3 (C), third finger on the fourth string at fret 3 (F), first finger on the second string at fret 1 (C), fourth finger on the high E at fret 3 (G). Same three notes, with G on top instead of F.
3. The barre at fret 3: x35563
Barre the first finger across fret 3 from the fifth string down. Second finger on the fourth string at fret 5, third finger on the third string at fret 5, fourth finger on the second string at fret 6. That last note is F. Bring the fourth finger down to fret 5 and it plays E: you are on a barred C. Careful: lifting it completely leaves the barre's D on that string, and the chord becomes Csus2.
4. The barre at fret 8: 8 10 10 10 8 8
This is E sus4 (022200) moved up eight frets. First finger across all six strings at fret 8. Second finger on the fifth string, third finger on the fourth string and fourth finger on the third string, all at fret 10. The note on the third string is F, the suspension.
The move that makes Csus4 sound: Csus4 to C
A sus4 chord is defined by where it goes. In each shape, one finger plays F, and moving that one finger turns F into E and Csus4 into C.
| Csus4 | C | The finger that moves |
|---|---|---|
x33011 | x32010 | The fourth string drops from fret 3 to fret 2, and the high E opens. Two fingers change: practice it slowly. |
x35563 | x35553 | Only the fourth finger moves, from fret 6 to fret 5 on the second string: F becomes E. |
8 10 10 10 8 8 | 8 10 10 9 8 8 | The third string drops from fret 10 to fret 9, F to E. The note that moves is always the suspended one. |
Csus4 in progressions
C is the V chord of F major, and a dominant that hesitates on its fourth before landing is an old trick. Csus4 also sits naturally around C itself.
| Progression | Shapes | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| C, Csus4, C | x32010, x33011, x32010 | Movement inside one chord: keeps a long C from going stale. |
| Csus2, C, Csus4, C | x30013, x32010, x33011, x32010 | The third goes down to D, back, up to F, back. |
| C, Csus4, F, G | x32010, x33011, xx3211, 320003 | The F of Csus4 announces the F chord that follows. |
| Csus4, C, F (key of F) | x35563, x35553, 133211 | The suspended V, its resolution, then home. |
The other suspension on C is on the Csus2 page, and the plain chord on the C chord page. The same gesture on D is shown on the Dsus4 page.
Common Csus4 mistakes
| Mistake | Why it matters | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Strumming the low E | E is exactly the note Csus4 removes. | Start the strum on the fifth string. |
| The open G dies | The fourth finger on fret 3 leans on the third string. | Arch the fourth finger and press with its tip. |
| The high F buzzes | The small barre is too far from the fret wire. | Roll the first finger onto its edge, right behind the fret. |
| Holding Csus4 for whole bars | Without its resolution, it sounds like a mistake. | Return to C on the next beat or the next bar. |
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Csus4 on guitar?
What notes are in a Csus4 chord?
Why does Csus4 want to go to C?
Is Csus4 the same as Fsus2?
Can I play Csus4 instead of C in a song?
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.