Csus4 chord on piano
Csus4 is C, F and G. You'll find C just left of the pair of black keys (a white key). Hit Play and watch each key light as it sounds.
root position · C–F–G · right hand 1-3-5
- Notes
- C · F · G
- Formula
- 1 · 4 · 5
How to play Csus4 on piano
From C, go 5 half steps up to F then 2 half steps up to G. That's the whole chord: 3 keys.
- Right hand: 1 on C, 3 on F and 5 on G.
- Left hand: 5 on C, 3 on F and 1 on G.
- On the keyboard it's white, white and white keys, the same pattern as Dsus4, Esus4, Gsus4 and Asus4, so your hand shape carries over.
Csus4 inversions
- root position: C–F–G. Right hand 1-3-5.
- 1st inversion: F–G–C, with F at the bottom. Fingers 1-2-5.
- 2nd inversion: G–C–F, G lowest. Fingers 1-3-5.
Use the inversions to stay put: the next chord is often one inversion away from where your hand already is, as the changes below show.
Changing from Csus4 to the chords around it
The chords Csus4 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.
- C (resolves down to the third): Csus4 to C: play C in root position (C–E–G) and C and G stay under the same fingers, while F moves down to E. C on piano
- F (IV in C major): Csus4 to F: play F in 2nd inversion (C–F–A) and C and F stay under the same fingers, while G moves up to A. F on piano
- G (V in C major): Csus4 to G: play G in 1st inversion (B–D–G) and G stays under the same finger, while C moves down to B and F down to D. G on piano
Csus4 lifts the third up to the fourth. Csus4 holds the fourth where the third should be; drop it a half step or whole step into C or Cm to resolve. Play it solid and then broken to hear the difference.
Getting Csus4 under your fingers
Play Csus4 broken, one key at a time: C, F, G, F, C. Then press the keys together and check that all 3 sound at the same volume. Then climb the inversions: C–F–G, then F–G–C, then G–C–F.
The keys of Csus4
Csus4 is a suspended fourth chord, 1–4–5 from C. Root position, from the bottom: how Csus4 is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| F | white key | RH 3 · LH 3 | perfect fourth |
| G | white key | RH 5 · LH 1 | perfect fifth |
Where Csus4 shows up
Csus4 on guitar and ukulele
Csus4 on guitar and ukulele uses the same 3 notes in a different layout. See all three together.
Close to Csus4
Other suspended fourth chords
Csus4 on piano: questions
What notes are in Csus4 on piano?
C, F and G: C (white key), F (white key) and G (white key). Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1.
How do you play Csus4 on piano?
Press C, F and G together, all white keys. Right hand: 1 on C, 3 on F and 5 on G.
What are the inversions of Csus4?
1st inversion (F–G–C) and 2nd inversion (G–C–F), after root position (C–F–G). Only the lowest note changes.
What does Csus4 look like on the keyboard?
white, white and white keys, the same pattern as Dsus4, Esus4, Gsus4 and Asus4, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Shapes and sound are generated from the notes C, F and G and tested automatically. Updated September 2026.