Suspended 2nd chord · D root
Dsus2 chord
- D1
- E2
- A5
The D suspended 2nd chord is built from the notes D, E, A. It turns up 3 times in the 80 songs on this site, including Fast Car.
By Chiye · Updated
What is the Dsus2 chord?
The Dsus2 chord (D suspended 2nd) is a suspended 2nd chord built from three notes: D, E, A — the 1–2–5 of the D scale, 2 semitones and 7 semitones above the root. On guitar it is most often played in open position (x-x-0-2-3-0) with 2 fingers while 2 strings ring open and the low E string stays silent. It is rated beginner — most players learn it in their first weeks. An open, ringing voicing with a modern folk flavour. It is one of the most-used chords in this site's library: across the 80 song sheets charted here, Dsus2 appears 3 times in 1 song, most often in the key of D. Below you will find step-by-step fingering, 3 positions up the neck, audio of every shape, and the real progressions this chord lives inside.
How do you play the Dsus2 chord on guitar?
Open position — the easiest version of Dsus2 on the guitar.
- Press the G string at fret 2 with your index finger.
- Press the B string at fret 3 with your ring finger.
- Start your strum on the D string and leave the low E and A strings out.
The x marks are part of the shape, not an accident: the chord only sounds right when low E and A stay silent. Instead of aiming your pick around those strings, let a spare finger rest on it and damp it. x-x-0-2-3-0
How do you make Dsus2 sound clean?
The open high E rings when beginners expect F# — Dsus2 is D with the middle finger off, not a different grip.
D → Dsus2 → D → Dsus4 (add the pinky) — the suspended pair, resolving both ways.
In real songs
What songs use the Dsus2 chord?
- chord changes
- 3
- songs
- 1
- common keys
- D
Across the 80 chord sheets on this site, Dsus2 appears 3 times in 1 song — most often in the key of D.
Chord flow
What chord comes after Dsus2?
Every number here is a count from the progressions in our song sheets, not a generalisation: 1560 chord changes are behind these figures.
What other ways can you play Dsus2 up the neck?
2 more positions below. Learn one of these well and the rest become optional. The value of a second position is practical: it keeps your fretting hand near where the song is already heading.
Position 2 · Fret 5 barre
Every note here is fretted, which means the shape transposes anywhere on the neck without changing your fingers.
The barre is the only hard part of this shape. Keep the bar finger straight and use the weight of your arm rather than the grip of your thumb.
Position 3 · Fret 10 barre
No open strings, so this is a movable shape: slide it up or down and the same fingering gives you a different chord name.
One bar does most of the work. Roll that finger onto its bony edge and pull the elbow slightly in — a barre that buzzes is almost always a position problem, not a strength problem.
Watch the Dsus2 chord
Video: JustinGuitar on YouTube — embedded with the official player; credit and views belong to the creator.
The theory behind Dsus2
Dsus2 is spelled D – E – A — the 1 – 2 – 5 of the D scale, which is the root plus 2 semitones, 7 semitones. An open, ringing voicing with a modern folk flavour.
The second replaces the third, giving an open, ringing chord that belongs to no key in particular. It is the sound of acoustic pop intros, and it resolves by moving that second up a tone.
Dsus2 on other instruments
2 2 0 0
The same chord on four strings in standard tuning. Because the uke is tuned higher, this shape sits at a different place on the neck than its guitar equivalent — useful when arranging for both instruments.
D – E – A — all white keys, so you can find the shape by counting up from C.
Take it to the practice room
