E7sus4: E Dominant 7th Sus4 Piano Chord

Third inversion: either hand, fingers low note to high
Hand	Notes	Fingers
Right	D, E, A, B	1-2-3-4
Left	D, E, A, B	5-4-3-2

Scale degree, note, and interval measured from the root.
Degree	Note	Interval from root	Semitones
1	E	Perfect unison	0
4	A	Perfect fourth	5
5	B	Perfect fifth	7
♭7	D	Minor seventh	10

Construction

E 7sus4 = Root + Perfect 4th + Perfect 5th + Minor 7th = E, A, B, D

Note	Interval	Degree
E	Root	1
A	Perfect 4th	11
B	Perfect 5th	5
D	Minor 7th	♭7

Fingering

Note	Key color	Right hand	Left hand
E	white	thumb (1)	little finger (5)
A	white	index finger (2)	middle finger (3)
B	white	middle finger (3)	index finger (2)
D	white	little finger (5)	thumb (1)

Right hand: thumb (1) on E, index finger (2) on A, middle finger (3) on B, little finger (5) on D.

Left hand: little finger (5) on E, middle finger (3) on A, index finger (2) on B, thumb (1) on D.

E 7sus4 Inversions

Root position
E – A – B – D
1st inversion (E7sus4/A)
A – B – D – E
2nd inversion (E7sus4/B)
B – D – E – A
3rd inversion (E7sus4/D)
D – E – A – B

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the E 7sus4 is the tonic (I) chord of E Major, whose key signature has 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯).

F♯C♯G♯D♯

Order of sharps

Sharps are added to a key signature in a fixed order. Each new sharp key adds the next sharp on the list.

F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯E♯B♯

Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle

Chords in the Key of E Major

These are the triads built on each degree of E Major:

I — E Major (major)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	I	E Major	Major
2	ii	F♯ Minor	Minor
3	iii	G♯ Minor	Minor
4	IV	A Major	Major
5	V	B Major	Major
6	vi	C♯ Minor	Minor
7	vii°	D♯ Diminished	Diminished

E 7sus4 : Frequently Asked Questions

What is the E 7sus4 chord on piano?

The E 7sus4 chord contains the notes E – A – B – D. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.

What notes are in the E 7sus4 chord?

The E 7sus4 chord (E7sus4) contains 4 notes: E, A, B, D. Formula: R-P4-P5-m7.

How is E7sus4 used in music?

E7sus4 is used in jazz, fusion, and contemporary music to add harmonic color. It appears as a dominant or tonic chord depending on context.

What is the scale degree formula for E7sus4?

E7sus4 uses scale degrees 1-4-5-b7, giving it its distinctive sound.

E 7sus4 in detail

Exact

Every pitch class is present and nothing outside the chord is added.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Close, root position	E3 A3 B3 D4	10	138 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	A3 B3 D4 E4	7	96 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	B3 D4 E4 A4	10	138 mm	none	identical
Close, third inversion	D4 E4 A4 B4	9	124 mm	none	identical
Drop 2	B2 E3 A3 D4	15	206 mm	none	identical
Drop 3	A2 E3 B3 D4	17	234 mm	none	identical
Drop 2 and 4	E2 B2 A3 D4	22	303 mm	none	identical

Reduced

A subset of the pitch classes: the identity is incomplete rather than altered.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Shell, root ♭7 4	E2 D3 A3	17	234 mm	omits B	subset
Guide tones, 4 and ♭7	A3 D4	5	69 mm	omits E and B	subset
Rootless close	A3 B3 D4	5	69 mm	omits E	subset

Spans are measured centre to centre at a 165 mm octave (standard keyboard geometry).

Position	Bass note	Notes in order	Figured bass	Semitones	Span
Root position	E	E3, A3, B3, D4	7	10	138 mm
First inversion: E7sus4/A	A	A3, B3, D4, E4	6/5	7	96 mm
Second inversion: E7sus4/B	B	B3, D4, E4, A4	4/3	10	138 mm
Third inversion: E7sus4/D	D	D4, E4, A4, B4	4/2	9	124 mm

One position per chord tone in the bass. Spans are for close position: voiced inversions appear under Voicings.

Change one note

Chords a single note away, and what moving that note does.

Chord	Change	Formula	Common tones
Esus4	drops D	1 4 5	3
E7	A becomes G♯	1 3 5 ♭7	3
Em7	A becomes G	1 ♭3 5 ♭7	3
E9	A becomes G♯, F♯	1 3 5 ♭7 9	3
Em9	A becomes G, F♯	1 ♭3 5 ♭7 9	3
E	A, D becomes G♯	1 3 5	2
Em	A, D becomes G	1 ♭3 5	2
Esus2	A, D becomes F♯	1 2 5	2
Emaj7	A, D becomes G♯, D♯	1 3 5 7	2
EmMaj7	A, D becomes G, D♯	1 ♭3 5 7	2
Em7♭5	A, B becomes G, B♭	1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7	2
Eaug7	A, B becomes G♯, B♯	1 3 ♯5 ♭7	2

Frequencies

Note	MIDI	Frequency
E3	52	164.81 Hz
A3	57	220.00 Hz
B3	59	246.94 Hz
D4	62	293.66 Hz

Reference pitch A440, 12-TET, close root position.

Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector

Absolute pitch class set: {4, 9, 11, 2}
Normal order: [9, 11, 2, 4]
Prime form: (0257)
Forte number: 4-23
Interval vector: <021030>

Pair	Interval	Semitones	Interval class
E to A	Perfect fourth	5	5
E to B	Perfect fifth	7	5
E to D	Minor seventh	10	2
A to B	Major second	2	2
A to D	Perfect fourth	5	5
B to D	Minor third	3	3

Where these facts come from

Every value on this page is derived from the note formula for a 7sus4 applied to the root E, using standard music theory. Nothing here is hand-entered per chord, so the notes, intervals, inversions and frequencies cannot drift out of agreement with each other. Pitches assume 12-TET at A440.

E 7sus4

Fingerings

E 7sus4: notes and degrees