A Suspended Second Bass Arpeggio
Bass arpeggio — fretboard diagram
A Suspended Second Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: A, B, E
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 5P
Formula: W-5
Number of notes: 3
Also known as: sus2
The A Suspended Second arpeggio contains 3 notes (A, B, E). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the A Suspended Second Arpeggio
Play the A Suspended Second arpeggio whenever a A Suspended Second chord appears in a progression. Unlike scales (which include passing tones), arpeggios guarantee every note you play IS a chord tone, making your solo sound harmonically precise and intentional.
Arpeggio vs. Scale
The A Suspended Second arpeggio uses 3 notes (A, B, E) while the full scale uses 7. The arpeggio is a subset — think of it as the skeleton of the scale. Practice alternating between the arpeggio and the full scale to develop a melodic vocabulary that mixes chord tones with passing tones.
How to Play A Suspended Second Arpeggio on Bass
On bass, locate A on the E string at fret 5. This compact 3-note arpeggio (A, B, E) can be played across two strings without shifting, making it ideal for building bass lines that clearly outline the harmony.
The A Suspended Second arpeggio avoids the third, creating an open, unresolved sound. It works over Asus4, Asus2, A7sus4 voicings and is perfect for creating a modern, ambiguous harmonic feel that neither commits to major nor minor.
Practice Routine
Play the A Suspended Second arpeggio as whole notes over a backing track or drone on A. Focus on intonation and tone quality for each of the 3 notes (A, B, E). After a few passes, begin improvising short melodic phrases built from these arpeggio tones, connecting them with passing notes.
Bass Tips
On bass, use the A Suspended Second arpeggio as the skeleton for your bass lines. Target the root on beat 1, then use the other tones (B, E) on weaker beats to create movement while keeping the harmonic foundation solid.