C# Suspended 4th Guitar Chord — Open A
Guitar chord voicings in Open A tuning (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
C# Suspended 4th — Open A
No standard voicings found for C# Suspended 4th in Open A tuning. Try using the interactive chord finder with this tuning selected.
C# Suspended 4th in Open A Tuning — Guide
Notes: C#, F#, G#
Intervals: 1P, 4P, 5P
The C# Suspended 4th chord in Open A tuning (E-C#-A-E-A-E) requires different fingerings than standard tuning. This chord may require creative voicings or partial shapes in this tuning.
About Open A Tuning
Open A tuning (E-A-E-A-C#-E) produces an A major chord when strummed open. It is structurally identical to Open G tuned up one whole step, delivering a brighter, more tense sound that works particularly well for slide guitar centered on the key of A.
Jimmy Page used Open A with a slide on Led Zeppelin's 'In My Time of Dying' from Physical Graffiti (1975). Rory Gallagher also employed Open A for his raw, energetic slide work. Many players achieve Open A by simply placing a capo at the 2nd fret in Open G tuning, which is why dedicated Open A usage is less commonly discussed. However, without a capo, Open A gives direct access to the open A string resonance and a different feel under the fingers due to the higher tension.
Genres & Artists Using Open A
Genres: Blues, Slide Guitar, Rock, Delta Blues
Notable artists: Jimmy Page, Rory Gallagher, Delta blues players
Scales for Improvising Over C# Suspended 4th in Open A
When playing C# Suspended 4th in Open A tuning, these scales work well for improvisation and melody writing:
- C# Mixolydian scale — bluesy, perfect over dominant 7th chords
- C# Major Pentatonic scale — bright and consonant, always sounds good