Absus4 Ukulele Chord
Absus4 on ukulele is 1-3-4-4: barre the 4th fret across the E and A strings with your ring finger, put your index finger on the 1st fret of the g string and your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the C string. It is a barre shape, which feels awkward at first but is well worth learning. You will also see it written as G#sus4, G sharp suspended fourth.
- Notes: Ab, Db and Eb
- Frets: 1 3 4 4
- Tuning: g C E A
Absus4 ukulele chord details
- Type
- Suspended 4th
- Also known as
- G#sus4, or Ab suspended fourth
- Formula
- 1 4 5
- Intervals
- Ab (root), Db (perfect 4th), Eb (perfect 5th)
- Notes
- Ab, Db and Eb
- Frets
- 1 3 4 4
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Tuning
- Standard (g C E A)
How to play the Absus4 chord
Here is the Absus4 chord step by step:
- Put your index finger on the 1st fret of the g string.
- Put your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the C string.
- Lay your ring finger flat across the E and A strings at the 4th fret, a small barre.
- Strum all four strings.
Roll your index finger slightly onto its bony side so it presses every string evenly. Read how to play bar chords if it keeps buzzing. New to these grids? Have a look at how to read a ukulele chord diagram.
Is there an easier way to play Absus4?
Yes: play it as x-3-4-4. Barre the 4th fret across the E and A strings with your middle finger, put your index finger on the 3rd fret of the C string and skip the g string. It uses two fingers instead of three. You give up the g string, but every note of the chord is still there, so it works in any song. Use it while the main shape is still settling, then go back to the full voicing for the bigger sound.
What notes are in the Absus4 chord?
The Absus4 chord is built from three notes: Ab, Db and Eb (the root, perfect 4th and perfect 5th). On the ukulele the Ab is doubled, so you get a nice full sound. A suspended chord swaps the third for a 2nd or a 4th, so it sounds neither happy nor sad, just open and ringing until it resolves.
Ukulele songs that use the Absus4 chord
- Bethel MusicGoodness Of God
- Harry StylesLights Up
- Sam SmithFire on Fire
- boygeniusNot Strong Enough
- The Blasting CompanyInto The Unknown (Over The Garden Wall)
- Taylor Swiftepiphany
- ColdplaySpies
- Bruno MarsThat’s What I Like
- Nat King ColeThe Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
- Amy WinehouseTears Dry On Their Own
Want to go further?
Once Absus4 feels comfortable, its close relatives are worth exploring: try Ab7, Abmaj7, Abm and Ab. Sus chords want to resolve, so Absus4 is happiest right before a plain Ab chord. When that feels good, work on switching between chords faster. When you are ready, try some easy ukulele songs.