B ninth suspended fourth chord (B9sus4) on piano
The B ninth suspended fourth chord (B9sus4) on piano has 5 notes: B, E, F sharp, A, and C sharp (B, E, F♯, A, C♯). On the keyboard below, the root (B) has the strongest color; each key shows the note name and the degree.
- Notes
- BEF♯AC♯
- Formula
- 145♭79
How to play B9sus4 on piano
Root position · From low to high: B E F♯ A C♯
The small dot marks middle C (C4). Tap a key to hear the note.
B9sus4 chord inversions
Inverting a chord means putting another of its notes in the bass (the lowest key) without changing the notes. Inversions shorten the way your hand travels from one chord to the next and slightly change the color of the sound.
-
1st inversion (B9sus4/E)
B9sus4/E: E (4) in the bass
From low to high: E F♯ A B C♯
-
2nd inversion (B9sus4/F#)
B9sus4/F#: F sharp (5) in the bass
From low to high: F♯ A B C♯ E
-
3rd inversion (B9sus4/A)
B9sus4/A: A (♭7) in the bass
From low to high: A B C♯ E F♯
Notes and intervals of B9sus4
B9sus4 (B ninth suspended fourth) is built from 5 notes. Each one fills a degree of the chord:
- B · 1 · root
- E · 4 · perfect fourth
- F♯ · 5 · perfect fifth
- A · ♭7 · minor seventh
- C♯ · 9 · ninth
About the ninth suspended fourth chord
A suspended dominant with a ninth: the 4th in place of the 3rd and the 9th on top. Soft and ambiguous, it is one of the most used sounds of modern jazz, soul and gospel. It has the same notes as an eleventh chord played without the 3rd; without the 5th, it is the triad on the ♭7 over the root (B♭/C for C9sus4).
Other B chords
- B
- Bm
- B7
- B7M
- Bm7
- Bm7(b5)
- B°
- B°7
- B+
- Bsus2
- Bsus4
- B7sus4
- B5
- Badd9
- B6
- Bm6
- B9
- Bm(add9)
- Bm9
- B7M(9)
- Bm(7M)
- B7M(#5)
- B7(b9)
- B6(9)
- Bm6(9)
- B11
- Bm11
- B13
- Bm13
- B7(#9)
- B7(#11)
- B7(b13)
- B7(#5)
- B7M(#11)
- B9sus4
Ninth suspended fourth: other roots
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the B9sus4 chord on piano?
B9sus4 (B ninth suspended fourth) has the notes B, E, F♯, A, C♯. The formula is 1 · 4 · 5 · ♭7 · 9: root, perfect fourth, perfect fifth, minor seventh, ninth.
How do you play B9sus4 on piano?
Find the B key and add the other notes above it: B, E, F♯, A, C♯. Play them all together.
What are the inversions of B9sus4?
1st inversion (B9sus4/E): E F♯ A B C♯; 2nd inversion (B9sus4/F#): F♯ A B C♯ E; 3rd inversion (B9sus4/A): A B C♯ E F♯.
What does B9sus4 mean?
B9sus4 is the chord symbol for B ninth suspended fourth. A suspended dominant with a ninth: the 4th in place of the 3rd and the 9th on top. Soft and ambiguous, it is one of the most used sounds of modern jazz, soul and gospel. It has the same notes as an eleventh chord played without the 3rd; without the 5th, it is the triad on the ♭7 over the root (B♭/C for C9sus4).
Is the B9sus4 chord the same on piano and keyboard?
Yes. The notes and inversions are the same on any keyboard instrument: acoustic piano, digital piano, keyboard, organ or synthesizer.