Gsus4 is G with its third, B, replaced by C, the note just above it. Its notes are G, C and D. The C rubs and wants to fall back to B, so the chord sounds unfinished on purpose. You will rarely hold it for long: it is a lean that gives a plain G chord something to resolve.
Gsus4 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: G suspended fourth
- Symbol: Gsus4
- Notes: G, C, D
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gsus4, open | 3x0013 | G D G C G | The standard Gsus4: two open strings in the middle, the fifth string muted by the finger on the low E. |
| Gsus4, six strings | 330013 | G C D G C G | Same chord with C on the fifth string, so you can strum all six strings without aiming. |
| Gsus4, four strings | xx5533 | G C D G | A small barre on the top two strings. It sits right next to the G shape xx5433: only the G string changes, fret 5 instead of fret 4. |
| Gsus4, barre | 355533 | G D G C D G | The E shape barre for G with the fourth finger added on the G string: G 355433 becomes Gsus4. |
| Gsus4, tenth fret | x 10 12 12 13 10 | G D G C D | The open Asus4 shape barred at fret 10: second and third fingers on the fourth and third strings at fret 12, fourth finger on the B string at fret 13. |
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.
Gsus4 on the neck: every G, C, D
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of Gsus4: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still Gsus4.
How to play Gsus4, step by step
1. The open shape: 3x0013
Second finger on the low E at fret 3, its pad lightly touching the A string to keep it quiet. First finger on the B string at fret 1, fourth finger on the high E at fret 3. The D and G strings are open. Strum from the low E, and if the A string speaks, flatten the second finger a little more.
2. If muting is the problem: 330013
Move the second finger to the A string at fret 3 and put the third finger on the low E at fret 3. That string now gives C, which belongs to the chord, so you can strum all six strings freely.
3. The check
Pick the B string on its own. You should hear C, at fret 1, clear and ringing. That one note is the sus4: if it buzzes or dies, you are playing an odd G without its third, not a suspended chord. Bring the first finger right up against the fret wire.
The G, Gsus4, G move
This is what Gsus4 is for. The suspended note goes up, then comes home. Pick the shape pair that suits the G you already play:
| Your G | Gsus4 | What moves |
|---|---|---|
320003 | 3x0013 | Swap A string fret 2 for B string fret 1. The easiest pair to learn the sound. |
xx5433 | xx5533 | One note: the G string goes from fret 4 to fret 5 and back. The cleanest version of the move. |
355433 | 355533 | Same single note inside the barre: the G string goes from fret 4 to fret 5. |
Strum G for two beats, Gsus4 for one, G for one. Then try the longer loop G, Gsus4, C, D: the suspension gives the bar of G a small push before the change. Played on the top strings, the move is the same trick the Dsus4 and Csus4 pages show on other roots.
Gsus4 or Gsus2?
Both take the third out of G. The fourth, C, sits a half step above B and pulls; the second, A, sits a whole step below and floats. Play them back to back, 3x0013 then 3x0233, and the difference is obvious: the first wants to go home, the second is happy where it is. Neither has a third to tie it to one key; in practice they live wherever G does.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play a Gsus4 chord on guitar?
What notes are in Gsus4?
Is Gsus4 the same as G4 or Gsus?
Why does Gsus4 sound like it wants to go somewhere?
Is Gsus4 the same chord as C/G?
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.