E♭ suspended fourth (E♭sus4) is made of the notes E♭ A♭ B♭. Here are 3 ways to play it on guitar, starting with the easiest.
How to play E♭sus4 on guitar
Shape 1
Barre at fret 11
11-11-13-13-11-11
Shape 2
From fret 3
x66344
Shape 3
Barre at fret 6
x66896
Notes in E♭sus4
Formula 1 4 5
Degree
Note
1
E♭
4
A♭
5
B♭
Shape 1 step by step
Lay your index finger flat across strings 6 to 1 at fret 11.
Put your ring finger on string 4 at fret 13.
Put your little finger on string 3 at fret 13.
Strum from string 6 to string 1.
Shape 2 step by step
Lay your little finger flat across strings 5 to 4 at fret 6.
Put your index finger on string 3 at fret 3.
Put your middle finger on string 2 at fret 4.
Put your ring finger on string 1 at fret 4.
Don’t play string 6.
Strum from string 5 to string 1.
Tune your guitar first
A chord only sounds right when your instrument is in tune. Check your strings with the free online tuner before you practise. Open the guitar tuner
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the E♭sus4 chord?
E♭ suspended fourth has the notes E♭ A♭ B♭. Its formula is 1 4 5. The numbers are steps of the major scale, counted from the root.
What is the easiest way to play E♭sus4 on guitar?
Start with shape 1 (barre at fret 11), written as 11-11-13-13-11-11 from string 6 to string 1. Here x means you don’t play that string and 0 means it rings open.
What is the difference between E♭sus4 and E♭sus2?
E♭sus4 has the notes E♭ A♭ B♭, and E♭sus2 has E♭ F B♭. The only difference is that E♭sus4 has A♭ where E♭sus2 has F.
Is E♭sus4 the same chord as D♯sus4?
Yes. E♭sus4 and D♯sus4 sound the same and use the same shapes. The name a chart uses depends on the key of the song.