How to play E major 7th suspended 4th chord on guitar
Shape 022240
Shape characteristics
Barre chord
Your first finger flattens across multiple strings at the same fret. Movable up and down the neck to any key without changing the shape.
First position · fret 2-4
Sits near the nut where frets are widest. Lower string tension makes it easier to fret cleanly, a comfortable choice for singer-songwriter strumming and beginner-friendly progressions.
Full six-string voicing
All six strings ring, giving you the biggest, most resonant version of this chord, ideal for strumming and solo acoustic contexts.
Bass: E · Top: E
The root is in the bass, so the chord sounds grounded and stable. This is the natural starting voicing for most progressions.
Compared to Shape 002440 , this voicing uses an open chord.
How to play this shape
- 1 Place the 1st finger on the 2nd fret of the 3rd string, 4th string, and 5th string in barre position
- 2 Place the 3rd finger on the 4th fret of the 2nd string
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "022240" mean?
The sequence 022240 is a highly compact guitar chord notation. It represents the fret played on each of the 6 strings, reading left-to-right from the thickest (lowest pitch) string to the thinnest (highest pitch) string: E, A, D, G, B, e.
- x means the string is muted or skipped entirely.
- 0 means the string is played "open" (without pressing over a fret).
- 1-9 represent standard fret numbers 1 to 9.
- a, b, c... represent frets 10, 11, 12, and higher (where a=10, b=11, c=12).
Can I play this E major 7th suspended 4th shape anywhere else?
Yes! This specific layout is just one way to voice a E major 7th suspended 4th chord. You can find all other variations in our chord shape library for E major 7th suspended 4th. Most guitarists choose different shapes based on whether they want a "brighter" or "deeper" sound, or which chord they are transitioning from.
How do I stop my fingers from buzzing?
Since this shape uses open strings (marked with '0'), make sure your fingers are arched like a "claw" so they don't accidentally brush against the open strings. Press down firmly just behind the metal fret wires for the clearest sound.
Other shapes
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