3 notes · 1 · 4 · 5

F Suspended Fourth Piano Chord (Fsus4)

Fsus4 is built from F, Bb and C — the formula 1 · 4 · 5, or 5 and 7 semitones above F. The shape uses 2 white and 1 black key, and you can hear it, invert it and compare it below.

Root noteChord type

Chord

F Suspended fourth

Notes

F · A# · C

Formula

1 · 4 · 5

Right hand

1 · 4 · 5

Choose a chord, then play it. Finger numbers run from thumb (1) to little finger (5).

The finder above already holds Fsus4. Press P or the Play chord button to hear F, Bb, C sounded together, then change the root or the chord type to compare it with something else.

Chord tones

The notes in Fsus4

A suspended fourth chord replaces the third with the fourth degree. The fourth sits one semitone above the major third and leans onto it, so a sus4 is usually heard as a delay that resolves into the plain triad underneath it.

Each tone of F suspended fourth with its interval, scale degree, distance in semitones from F and a suggested right-hand finger.
Note	Interval	Degree	Semitones	Right hand
Fwhite key	Root	1	0	1 · thumb
Bbblack key	Perfect fourth	4	5	4 · ring finger
Cwhite key	Perfect fifth	5	7	5 · little finger

Step by step

How to play Fsus4 on piano

Find F: it is the white key immediately left of every group of three black keys.
Build upwards from F using 5 and 7 semitones to reach Bb and C.
With the right hand, place finger 1 on F, finger 4 on Bb and finger 5 on C. Keep the wrist level and the knuckles rounded.
Move your hand a little further in towards the fallboard so the black key sits comfortably under your fingers.
Play the notes together, then one at a time from the bottom up, and listen to how Fsus4 settles.
Try first inversion as well: Bb – C – F. Inversions let you change chords without jumping around the keyboard.

Inversions

Fsus4 in 3 positions

An inversion keeps the same 3 notes and simply moves the lowest one up an octave. Learning them means you can change chords with small hand movements instead of jumping to a new part of the keyboard.

Root position

F – Bb – C

The root F is the lowest note. This is the shape most people learn first.

First inversion

Bb – C – F

Bb is the lowest note, so the perfect fourth sits in the bass and the notes below it move up an octave.

Second inversion

C – F – Bb

C is the lowest note, so the perfect fifth sits in the bass and the notes below it move up an octave.

In context

Which keys contain Fsus4

In D♭ major the chord functions as iiisus4. Altogether it is produced by the scales of 10 keys, so learning it once pays off in several places.

D♭ majoriiisus4
E♭ majoriisus4
F majorIsus4
A♭ majorvisus4
B♭ majorVsus4
C minorivsus4
D minorIIIsus4
F minorisus4
G minorVIIsus4
B♭ minorvsus4

Chord tones are spelled by the degree they occupy, so the third of a minor chord is written as a flat rather than a sharp even though it is the same key on the piano. A double sharp such as F## means the key one whole tone above F.

Compare

Fsus4 against F major

Fsus4 and F major share F and C. Moving the major third A up 1 semitone to the perfect fourth Bb turns F major into Fsus4.

Practise the pair together: hold the shared notes F, C still and move only the one finger. Hearing that single change is the quickest way to recognise the two chords by ear.

Open F major →

Good questions

Fsus4 questions

What notes are in the Fsus4 chord?

Fsus4 contains F, Bb and C. Counted from the root, that is the formula 1 · 4 · 5, or 5 and 7 semitones above F.

What is the right-hand fingering for Fsus4?

A comfortable beginner fingering is 1 (thumb) on F, 4 (ring finger) on Bb and 5 (little finger) on C. Finger numbers run from the thumb (1) to the little finger (5), and they change once you start using inversions.

How is Fsus4 different from F major?

Fsus4 and F major share F and C. Moving the major third A up 1 semitone to the perfect fourth Bb turns F major into Fsus4.

Which keys use the Fsus4 chord?

It occurs naturally in D♭ major (iiisus4), E♭ major (iisus4), F major (Isus4), A♭ major (visus4), B♭ major (Vsus4) and C minor (ivsus4) among others. The roman numeral shows which degree of the key the chord is built on.

What are the inversions of Fsus4?

root position is F – Bb – C, first inversion is Bb – C – F and second inversion is C – F – Bb. Every inversion holds the same notes; only the lowest one changes.