D#sus2 Chord on Guitar
D#sus2 = D# – F – A# (Root, Major 2nd, Perfect 5th)
D#sus2 replaces the third of the D# major barre with a second, and because the movable E-shape sus2 template involves four separately fretted notes beyond the barre, this eleventh-fret version asks more of the hand than almost any other suspension covered in this whole guitar set.
D#, F, and A# are the notes present — root, second, fifth, with the third left out entirely. Written more conventionally as Ebsus2, it acts as a suspension of Eb major's tonic, the kind of open, unresolved color a songwriter reaches for right before letting the chord settle into a plain Eb triad, a classic tension-and-release gesture regardless of what key it's transposed into.
Fingerings
Barre (11th fret)
How to Practice It
Extra fingers land on the A, D, G, and high e strings, with the G string reaching the furthest above the barre of any note in the shape — that wide four-string spread, combined with the cramped eleventh-fret spacing, makes this one of the physically harder suspensions in the set. Many players simplify by dropping the high e string's note and letting it either ring open or stay muted, trading a small amount of fullness for a considerably easier stretch.
Common Progressions
- Ebsus2 – Eb (a suspension resolving to the tonic)
- Bb – Ebsus2 – Eb (V – I(sus2) – I)
- Ebsus2 – Absus2 – Eb (a chain of suspensions resolving together)
- Cm – Ebsus2 – Eb (vi – I(sus2) – I)
FAQ
- Why is D#sus2 harder to finger than most other chords at the eleventh fret?
- The full six-string E-shape sus2 template needs four separately fretted notes beyond the barre spread across the A, D, G, and high e strings, more independent finger placement than the plain triad or most seventh-chord shapes require at the same fret.
- Is D#sus2 the same chord as Ebsus2?
- Yes — Ebsus2 is the standard spelling since Eb major is how this chord's home key is almost always written and read in real chord charts.
- Why does a sus2 chord lack a third?
- By definition the suspension replaces the third with a second, removing the note that would otherwise identify the chord as major or minor and leaving behind that characteristic open, ambiguous quality.
- Is there an easier version of this chord to play?
- Some players drop the high e string's fretted note entirely, either muting it or letting it ring open, which loses a small amount of the voicing's fullness but removes the widest of the four required stretches.
- How does D#sus2 typically resolve?
- Down to a plain Eb major triad, the classic suspension-to-resolution move, though it can also move to other suspended or extended tonic colors before finally settling.
- Does D#sus2 ever function as more than a passing ornament?
- In ambient or open-tuning-influenced writing, sustained sus2 chords are sometimes left unresolved deliberately for their open color, though the traditional use treats them as a brief suspension before the plain triad.
- How does this shape compare to D#sus4 at the same fret?
- Sus4 replaces the third with a fourth rather than a second and needs fewer extra fingers, generally landing as the easier and more commonly used of the two suspensions in this position.
D#sus2 on other instruments: D#sus2 on Piano, D#sus2 on Ukulele. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.