Dsus2 chord on piano
Dsus2 is D, E and A. D sits between the two black keys. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.
root position · D–E–A · right hand 1-3-5
- Notes
- D · E · A
- Formula
- 1 · 2 · 5
How to play Dsus2 on piano
From D, go 2 half steps up to E then 5 half steps up to A. That's the whole chord: 3 keys.
- Right hand: 1 on D, 3 on E and 5 on A.
- Left hand: 5 on D, 3 on E and 1 on A.
- On the keyboard it's white, white and white keys, the same pattern as Csus2, Fsus2, Gsus2 and Asus2, so your hand shape carries over.
Dsus2 inversions
- root position: D–E–A. RH 1-3-5.
- 1st inversion: E–A–D (E in the bass). Fingers 1-2-5.
- 2nd inversion: A–D–E, A 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.
Moving between Dsus2 and its neighbours
Songs rarely hold Dsus2 for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.
- D (resolves up to the third): Dsus2 to D: play D in root position (D–F♯–A) and D and A stay under the same fingers, while E moves up to F♯. D on piano
- G (IV in D major): Dsus2 to G: play G in 2nd inversion (D–G–B) and D stays under the same finger, while E moves up to G and A up to B. G on piano
- A (V in D major): Dsus2 to A: play A in 1st inversion (C♯–E–A) and E and A stay under the same fingers, while D moves down to C♯. A on piano
Dsus2 replaces the third with the second, so it is neither major nor minor. The open second in Dsus2 usually rises to the third, so play Dsus2 then D and listen for it to settle. Play it solid and then broken to hear the difference.
A short Dsus2 drill
Play Dsus2 broken, one key at a time: D, E, A, E, D. Then press the keys together and check that all 3 sound at the same volume. Finish with the inversions in order: D–E–A; E–A–D; A–D–E.
The keys of Dsus2
Dsus2 is a suspended second chord, 1–2–5 from D. Root position, from the bottom: how Dsus2 is built.
| Note | Key | Fingers | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | white key | RH 1 · LH 5 | root |
| E | white key | RH 3 · LH 3 | major second |
| A | white key | RH 5 · LH 1 | perfect fifth |
Where Dsus2 shows up
Dsus2 on guitar and ukulele
Switching instruments? Try Dsus2 on ukulele or Dsus2 on guitar, or compare them on the Dsus2 chord page.
Close to Dsus2
Other suspended second chords
Dsus2 on piano: questions
What notes are in Dsus2 on piano?
D, E and A: D (white key), E (white key) and A (white key). Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1.
How do you play Dsus2 on piano?
Press D, E and A together, all white keys. Right hand: 1 on D, 3 on E and 5 on A.
What are the inversions of Dsus2?
1st inversion (E–A–D) and 2nd inversion (A–D–E), after root position (D–E–A). Only the lowest note changes.
What does Dsus2 look like on the keyboard?
white, white and white keys, the same pattern as Csus2, Fsus2, Gsus2 and Asus2, so one hand shape covers all of them.
Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Dsus2. Updated September 2026.