Dsus2 Chord on Ukulele
Dsus2 = D – E – A (Root, Major 2nd, Perfect 5th)
Dsus2 is a genuinely easy shape once the two-string barre is comfortable: index finger flat across the G and C strings at the second fret, while the E and A strings both ring open. It's actually simpler than plain D major, which needs that same barre extended across three strings instead of two — here, the E string's fretted note is dropped entirely and left open, trimming the barre down by one string.
Removing D major's third and replacing it with the second scale degree leaves this chord in the same kind of harmonic limbo every sus2 chord occupies — neither bright nor dark, genuinely unresolved until it moves somewhere else. Dsus2 works as a quick decorative substitute for plain D, adding open, airy movement right before or after the triad without changing the underlying harmonic function. Because two of its four strings ring completely open, it has a particularly resonant, chiming character among the ukulele's suspended chords, well suited to gentle strumming patterns in folk-leaning arrangements that favor space and ring over dense harmony.
Fingerings
Open Position
How to Practice It
Since this shape uses a smaller barre than plain D major, it's actually a good stepping stone toward that chord rather than a harder step beyond it — practice Dsus2 first if the full three-string D barre feels unstable, then simply extend the same barre across the E string to arrive at plain D major. Resolving Dsus2 into D is as simple as extending the barre by one string rather than changing hand position, which makes the sus2-to-major motion unusually smooth and worth building into a habitual strumming embellishment. It's also worth practicing Dsus2 as a standalone strummed texture, not only as a passing gesture, letting the two open strings ring fully so their resonance has time to register before moving on — rushing past it undercuts the whole point of choosing a suspended color in the first place.
Common Progressions
- Dsus2 – D, resolving the open second into the plain triad
- I(sus2) – IV – V – I (Dsus2 – G – A – D)
- Dsus2 – A, a bright two-chord vamp leaning on open strings
- vi – IV – I(sus2) (Bm – G – Dsus2), landing on the unresolved color
FAQ
- Is Dsus2 easier than plain D major on ukulele?
- Yes — it uses a two-string barre instead of D major's three-string barre, since the E string's fretted note is dropped and left open, making it a smaller physical shape.
- How does Dsus2 resolve into D major?
- By simply extending the existing barre one string further, from the G-C pair to include the E string as well — no change in hand position, just one additional string covered.
- Why does Dsus2 sound so open?
- Two of its four strings, E and A, ring completely unfretted, giving it more raw open-string resonance than most other suspended chords on the instrument.
- What kind of songs use Dsus2 the most?
- Folk and singer-songwriter ukulele arrangements that favor spacious, ringing textures over dense harmony reach for it often, using it as a brief chiming detour from plain D major.
- Which note does Dsus2 remove from plain D major, and what replaces it?
- It drops D major's third, F#, entirely, and replaces it with the second scale degree, E — a single substitution that removes the chord's major-versus-minor identity and leaves it in that characteristic open, unresolved suspended space.
- Is Dsus2 harder or easier than Csus2 on ukulele?
- Easier, on balance — Dsus2 only needs a two-string barre with two full open strings behind it, while Csus2 needs a three-string barre plus an independent second finger, making Dsus2 one of the gentler suspended shapes across the common open chords.
- Can Dsus2 be strummed with the same rhythm pattern as plain D major?
- Yes, without any adjustment — since the chord occupies the identical hand position minus one barred string, any strumming pattern that works over D major transfers directly onto Dsus2 with no timing or technique changes required.
- Does Dsus2 have a role outside substituting for plain D major?
- It can also serve as a decorative variant of A major or Bm in certain progressions, since suspended chords are defined by their interval structure rather than a fixed harmonic function, so context determines exactly how a given Dsus2 voicing is meant to be heard.
Dsus2 on other instruments: Dsus2 on Guitar, Dsus2 on Piano. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.