Root position A♭sus2
A♭ – B♭ – E♭
Right hand 1-2-5Left hand 5-4-1
A♭sus2 Chord on Piano
A♭sus2 A♭ B♭ E♭ Formula 1 2 5 3 notes
Also written G♯ sus2: the same keys under another name.
Notes
What notes are in the A♭sus2 chord?
The A♭sus2 chord has 3 notes: A♭, B♭, E♭. No third: the second (2 half steps above A♭) replaces it, so the chord is neither major nor minor.
| Note | Interval from the root | Half steps |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ | Root | 0 |
| B♭ | Major 2nd | 2 |
| E♭ | Perfect 5th | 7 |
Inversions and fingering
Every way to play A♭sus2
The same notes in a different order. The lowest note changes the name after the slash; the fingering below is the usual one - right hand from the lowest key up, left hand from the lowest key up too.
1st inversion A♭sus2/B♭
B♭ – E♭ – A♭
Right hand 1-3-5Left hand 5-2-1
The piano studio names these keys E♭sus4/B♭: the same notes, read from another root.
2nd inversion A♭sus2/E♭
E♭ – A♭ – B♭
Right hand 1-4-5Left hand 5-3-1
The piano studio names these keys E♭sus4: the same notes, read from another root.
Where it lives
Keys and scales with A♭sus2
Every key where A♭sus2 is one of the seven chords, with its Roman numeral, and the scales whose notes include all of it - the ones to improvise over it.
A♭sus2 is not a diatonic chord of any major or natural minor key.
Scales that contain all its notes
Questions
Frequently asked
What notes are in the A♭sus2 chord?
The A♭sus2 chord (A♭sus2) is made of A♭, B♭, E♭. Its formula is 1 2 5 - the root, then the intervals of a suspended 2nd chord.
How do you play A♭sus2 on the piano?
Put your right thumb on A♭ and play the other notes with fingers 1-2-5. With the left hand, use fingers 5-4-1 from the lowest key up.
What are the inversions of A♭sus2?
root position A♭sus2 (A♭ B♭ E♭); 1st inversion A♭sus2/B♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭); 2nd inversion A♭sus2/E♭ (E♭ A♭ B♭).
Is A♭sus2 the same as G♯ sus2?
On the piano, yes: the same keys. The name changes with the key you are in - sharps in sharp keys, flats in flat keys.
Play it for real
Hold A♭sus2 and build a progression on it
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