Esus2

Esus2 is E, F# and B, a suspended second. The shape this page opens on is written xx2452, lowest string first.

Note by note. E is the root, F# is the ninth and B is the fifth.

Also written E2 or E suspended 2nd. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 10 common shapes for Esus2 on the guitar, and 49 derived voicings in 2 families.

One note away. Change a single note of Esus2 and you have E (with one note moved), Em (with one note moved), Esus4 (with one note moved), Esus2sus4 (with one note added), Eadd9 (with one note added) or E5 (with one note taken away).

In which keys. Every note of Esus2 belongs to C# minor (the ♭III), D major (the ii), E major (the I), E minor (the i), F# minor (the ♭VII), G major (the vi), Ab minor (the ♭VI), A major (the V), B major (the IV) and B minor (the iv).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: xx2452, x74457, xx4457, 079977, x79977, 099900, 12-9-9-11-12-x, x-9-9-9-12-12, 12-x-x-11-12-12, 12-14-14-x-12-14.

Under the hand. None of the shapes for Esus2 uses an open string, so every one of them is movable; the lowest sits at the 2nd fret. 6 of the 10 need a barre. Together they cover the neck from the 2nd fret to the 14th.

Triad. Three notes across one string set. Esus2 has 024xxx, 222xxx, 0244xx, 2224xx, xx445x, xxx977, xx997x, x7997x.

Open string. An open string left ringing against a fretted grip. Because it costs no finger, it sounds a note the closed shape has none left for -- a tension on top, or a pedal root underneath. Either a familiar grip with open strings added, or a shape so sparse the open strings carry the chord. These belong to their key rather than to a shape, so D, A, G and E have many and Eb a handful. Esus2 has 0x440x, xx4400.

What kind of chord this is. Esus2 is a suspended chord — root and fifth, with a second or fourth where the third would be — or nothing at all. suspended and power chords on every root, and what they are for.

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.