Bbsus4 Ukulele Chord
Bbsus4 on ukulele is 3-3-1-1: barre the 1st fret across the E and A strings with your index finger, put your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the g string and your little 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 A#sus4, A sharp suspended fourth.
- Notes: Bb, Eb and F
- Frets: 3 3 1 1
- Tuning: g C E A
Bbsus4 ukulele chord details
- Type
- Suspended 4th
- Also known as
- A#sus4, or Bb suspended fourth
- Formula
- 1 4 5
- Intervals
- Bb (root), Eb (perfect 4th), F (perfect 5th)
- Notes
- Bb, Eb and F
- Frets
- 3 3 1 1
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Tuning
- Standard (g C E A)
How to play the Bbsus4 chord
Here is the Bbsus4 chord step by step:
- Put your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the g string.
- Put your little finger on the 3rd fret of the C string.
- Lay your index finger flat across the E and A strings at the 1st 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 Bbsus4?
Yes: play it as x-3-1-1. Barre the 1st fret across the E and A strings with your index finger, put your middle 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 Bbsus4 chord?
The Bbsus4 chord is built from three notes: Bb, Eb and F (the root, perfect 4th and perfect 5th). On the ukulele the Bb 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 Bbsus4 chord
Want to go further?
Once Bbsus4 feels comfortable, its close relatives are worth exploring: try Bb7, Bbmaj7, Bbm and Bb. Sus chords want to resolve, so Bbsus4 is happiest right before a plain Bb chord. When that feels good, work on switching between chords faster. When you are ready, try some easy ukulele songs.