A♭ Sus4 Chord

Absus4 Level 4: The Studio

A♭ Sus4 (Absus4) is built from the notes Ab, Db, Eb. Its intervals are Root — Perfect 4th — Perfect 5th. Tense, anticipatory, and leaning forward. Sus4 replaces the third with a fourth that sits just one semitone above where the major third would be, creating a pull toward resolution.

Hear A♭ Sus4 Chord

Piano sample · tap to play

Notes and intervals

Interval Semitones Note
Root 0 Ab
Perfect 4th 5 Db
Perfect 5th 7 Eb

What does a♭ sus4 chord sound like?

Tense, anticipatory, and leaning forward. Sus4 replaces the third with a fourth that sits just one semitone above where the major third would be, creating a pull toward resolution.

A♭ Sus4 Chord in music

A lush suspension (Ab-Db-Eb) with a gospel quality. Resolves beautifully to Ab major, common in soul, R&B, and worship music.

How to recognise a♭ sus4 chord by ear

Sus4 sounds like it's about to resolve — there's a tension that leans downward. Compare it to sus2: sus4 pushes, sus2 floats. If the chord feels like it's waiting for something, that's sus4.

Practice identifying this chord in ChordFrog's Level 4: The Studio .

Practice tip

Absus4 (Ab-Db-Eb) has a full, lush tension common in soul and gospel. Both the fourth (Db) and fifth (Eb) are flat notes, giving the chord a uniformly warm character. Resolve to Ab major by dropping Db to C and notice the subtle brightening.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in a A♭ Sus4 chord?
A♭ Sus4 (Absus4) contains three notes: Ab, Db, Eb. The intervals are Root, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th.
How do I recognise A♭ Sus4 by ear?
Sus4 sounds like it's about to resolve — there's a tension that leans downward. Compare it to sus2: sus4 pushes, sus2 floats. If the chord feels like it's waiting for something, that's sus4. Practice identifying A♭ Sus4 in ChordFrog's Level 4 (The Studio).
What level is A♭ Sus4 in ChordFrog?
A♭ Sus4 is introduced at Level 4: The Studio. This level adds suspended chords alongside major and minor triads.

Other Ab chords

A♭ Major Chord A♭ Minor Chord A♭ Diminished Chord A♭ Augmented Chord A♭ Sus2 Chord

All Sus4 Chords chords

C Sus4 Chord D♭ Sus4 Chord D Sus4 Chord E♭ Sus4 Chord E Sus4 Chord F Sus4 Chord F♯ Sus4 Chord G Sus4 Chord A Sus4 Chord B♭ Sus4 Chord B Sus4 Chord

Hear a♭ sus4 chord for yourself

Train your ear to recognise this chord instantly with ChordFrog's progressive levels.

Coming soon

Requires iOS 16 or later.