D#sus4 Chord on Ukulele
D#sus4 = D# – G# – A# (Root, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th)
D sharp suspended fourth spreads its four fingers across a stretch from the first fret to the fourth, with no barre tying any of them together: the G string takes the suspended fourth at the first fret, the C string holds the root at the third fret, the E string doubles the fourth again at the fourth fret, and the A string closes things out with the fifth at the first fret. Two strings share the first fret without being adjacent to each other, which is an unusual, slightly disorienting layout the first few times through.
Swapping D# major's third for the fourth scale degree creates the same forward-leaning, unresolved tension every sus4 chord carries — a half-step's distance from the third it's covering for, which keeps the ear expecting a resolution. Respelled as Ebsus4, it's the more familiar spelling, showing up as a pre-resolution flourish right before a phrase lands on plain Eb major in folk, rock, or pop-influenced ukulele strumming. Because the fourth is doubled across two non-adjacent strings, the tension in this particular voicing reads a little more insistent than a sus4 chord that states the note only once.
Fingerings
Open Position
How to Practice It
Place the G and A strings' first-fret notes first, since they're the lowest and easiest reach, then add the C string's third fret and finally the E string's fourth fret, building the stretch gradually rather than attempting the full spread all at once. Practicing the release into plain D# major — lifting the G and E string fingers while the C and A string notes largely carry over — clarifies which specific notes are doing the suspending and which are shared between the two chords.
Common Progressions
- Gm - Ebsus4 - Eb, a borrowed minor chord leading into the suspended color before it settles
- I(sus4) - I - IV - V (D#sus4 - D# - G# - A#)
- Ebsus4 - Eb - Ab - Bb, the same motion in flat notation
- A repeated D#sus4-to-D# alternation works as a simple rhythmic vamp.
FAQ
- Why does D#sus4 double the suspended fourth on two strings?
- The G and E strings both happen to land on that same pitch class at different frets, a coincidence of where the note falls relative to each string's own open tuning rather than a deliberate emphasis.
- What's the more familiar spelling for this chord?
- Ebsus4, the spelling used in the folk, rock, and pop strumming traditions that lean on this pre-resolution device.
- How does D#sus4 resolve to plain D# major?
- The G and E string fingers lift and reform into that chord's own barre-plus-open-string shape, while the C string's root and A string's fifth largely carry over.
- Why does sus4 create more tension than sus2?
- The fourth scale degree sits only a half-step from the third it's covering for, a tighter pull toward resolution than sus2's more distant relationship to that same third.
- Is there a barre version of D#sus4 available?
- Not a practical one — because its two statements of the fourth fall on different frets across non-adjacent strings, no single flat finger can cover them together.
- What note does D#sus4 add compared to plain D# major?
- G, the fourth scale degree, appearing on both the G string's first fret and the E string's fourth fret — the same pitch reached two different ways within one chord.
- Is there a simplified two-finger version of D#sus4 for quick strumming?
- Some players drop the G string's doubled fourth and let it ring open instead, accepting a slightly less resolved-sounding open note in exchange for one fewer finger to manage mid-song.
- How does D#sus4's fret spread compare to Fsus4's, described elsewhere on this site?
- D#sus4 needs a wider four-fret span with no barre at all, while Fsus4 gets to lean on a small barre plus one open string — a good illustration of how the same chord type can land very differently depending on the root.
- What's a reliable way to check all four notes ring cleanly in this shape?
- Strum each string individually before playing the full chord, paying particular attention to the E string's fourth-fret reach, since it's the note furthest from the others and easiest to leave slightly under-pressed.
D#sus4 on other instruments: D#sus4 on Guitar, D#sus4 on Piano. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.