Asus2 Chord on Ukulele
Asus2 = A – B – E (Root, Major 2nd, Perfect 5th)
Asus2 removes A major's defining third and replaces it with a major second above the root, turning A-C#-E into A-B-E. On the ukulele that means holding down three fretted notes rather than A major's two: the G string at the second fret, the C string at the fourth fret, and the A string at the second fret, with only the E string left open. It's a noticeably bigger stretch than A major itself, since the C string's fret four sits further up the neck than anything in the plain triad, and it's worth treating as its own shape rather than a quick variation.
A sus2 chord is neither major nor minor — by dropping the third entirely, it removes the note that decides that question, leaving an open, ambiguous, faintly hollow sound that composers reach for when they want harmonic color without committing to a mood. On ukulele this open quality is amplified by the chord's wide spread across three different frets, giving it a slightly more percussive, ringing character than the tighter A major shape. Functionally, Asus2 almost always wants to resolve — moving the B note down a step to C# turns it straight into A major, a classic suspension-and-release move that shows up constantly in folk and pop ukulele arranging as a way to add a beat of tension right before a chorus or verse lands on the tonic.
Fingerings
Open Position
How to Practice It
Because three different fingers land on three different frets across three different strings, build the shape in stages: place the index finger on the G string's second fret first, then the ring finger on the A string's second fret, then stretch the middle finger up to the C string's fourth fret last, since it's the outlier both in position and in reach. Check that the open E string still rings clearly — it sits between two of the fretted strings and is the note most often muted by an overextended middle finger. The most useful drill is the Asus2-to-A move itself: practice sliding the middle finger down two frets, from the C string's fourth fret to A major's first fret, while the other two fingers hold their positions, since that's the actual suspension-and-release motion in real use.
Common Progressions
- Isus2 – I, the suspension-and-release move (Asus2 – A)
- IVsus2 – IV – I (Dsus2 – D – A)
- I – Isus2 – vi (A – Asus2 – F#m)
- Vsus2 – V – I, in the key of D (Esus2 – E – A)
FAQ
- What note does sus2 replace in A major?
- The third, C#, is replaced by B — a major second above the root — which removes the note that would otherwise define the chord as major or minor.
- Is Asus2 harder to finger than A major?
- Yes — it needs three fingers spread across three different frets, including a stretch to the C string's fourth fret, compared to A major's simple two-finger shape.
- How is Asus2 typically used in a song?
- As a suspension that resolves back to A major a beat later, created by moving the fourth-fret C-string note down two frets — a common way to add a moment of tension before a phrase resolves.
- Does Asus2 sound major or minor?
- Neither — with no third present, the chord is harmonically ambiguous, giving it an open, unresolved character distinct from both A major and A minor.
Asus2 on other instruments: Asus2 on Guitar, Asus2 on Piano. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.