F#sus2 Chord on Ukulele
F#sus2 = F# – G# – C# (Root, Major 2nd, Perfect 5th)
F#sus2 removes the chord's third altogether and replaces it with a note a whole step above the root — G#, in this case — which changes the whole character of the triad from settled to open and unresolved. The shape barres the G and C strings at the first fret, then adds the E string at the second and the A string at the fourth, so a single index-finger barre handles two of the four notes while the other two fingers reach further out.
Because it drops the third, F#sus2 is neither clearly major nor minor — that ambiguity is the whole point of a sus2 chord, and it's why these voicings show up so often as a passing color between a plain triad and its suspended cousin sus4, or as a deliberately unresolved-sounding strum in folk and pop ukulele arrangements. Resolving F#sus2 back to F# major (by moving the added second up to the third) or to F# minor (by moving it down) gives a songwriter two different destinations from the same starting shape, a flexibility straight triads don't offer. On an instrument known for bright, open tone, sus2 chords like this one lean into that character even further, since the suspended second interval rings with a wide, hollow quality distinct from a tightly stacked triad.
Fingerings
Open Position
How to Practice It
Keep the barre at the first fret light and flat — it's only covering two strings here, not the full width of the neck, so there's no need to press unusually hard. The E string's second fret and A string's fourth fret both need individual fingers reaching past the barre, and the four-fret span from first to fourth position is the main coordination challenge; practice placing the barre first, then adding the other two fingers as a second motion rather than trying to land all four contacts simultaneously. A good ear-training exercise is alternating this shape with plain F# major, listening for exactly which single note distinguishes the suspended color from the resolved one.
Common Progressions
- F#sus2 resolving up into F# major as a suspension-and-release figure
- F#sus2 resolving down into F# minor for a darker landing
- I(sus2) – IV – V, using F#sus2 as an ornamented tonic in F# major
- F#sus2 as a passing color between Bm and F# in a B major progression
FAQ
- What note does sus2 replace in F# major?
- It removes A#, the third, and replaces it with G#, a whole step above the root, which is why the chord sounds neither firmly major nor minor.
- How does F#sus2 usually get used?
- Most often as a passing or ornamental chord that resolves into either F# major or F# minor, giving a strum pattern a moment of open ambiguity before it lands.
- Does F#sus2 need a full barre?
- No — only the G and C strings are barred together at the first fret; the E and A strings each need their own separate finger further up the neck.
- What's the easiest way to hear the difference between F#sus2 and F# major?
- Strum the two chords back to back slowly — the shift is a single note moving from G# up to A#, and isolating that one string's sound makes the color change obvious.
F#sus2 on other instruments: F#sus2 on Guitar, F#sus2 on Piano. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.