What notes are in the E Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio?

The E Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio contains 4 notes: E, A, B, D. The intervals are 1P, 4P, 5P, 7m. The root note is E.

What is the E Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio used for?

The E Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio outlines the notes of the E Suspended Fourth Seventh chord. It is essential for soloing, improvisation, and composing melodies — allowing musicians to play chord tones melodically over jazz, blues, and rock progressions.

E Suspended Fourth Seventh Cavaquinho Arpeggio

Cavaquinho arpeggio — fretboard diagram

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E Suspended Fourth Seventh Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals

Notes: E, A, B, D

Intervals: 1P, 4P, 5P, 7m

Formula: 5-W-WH

Number of notes: 4

Also known as: 7sus4, 7sus

The E Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio contains 4 notes (E, A, B, D). Use the interactive fretboard diagram above to explore each arpeggio shape and pattern on Cavaquinho. Practice ascending and descending from the root note across all strings to learn the sound of this arpeggio.

When to Use the E Suspended Fourth Seventh Arpeggio

Play the E Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio whenever a E Suspended Fourth Seventh 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 E Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio uses 4 notes (E, A, B, D) 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 E Suspended Fourth Seventh Arpeggio on Cavaquinho

Locate E on your instrument and play through the 4 notes of the Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio (E, A, B, D) slowly, ensuring each tone rings clearly before connecting them at speed.

The E Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio avoids the third, creating an open, unresolved sound. It works over Esus4, Esus2, E7sus4 voicings and is perfect for creating a modern, ambiguous harmonic feel that neither commits to major nor minor.

Practice Routine — Exercises for Playing

Play the E Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio as whole notes over a backing track or drone on E. Focus on intonation and tone quality for each of the 4 notes (E, A, B, D). After a few passes, begin improvising short melodic phrases built from these arpeggio tones, connecting them with passing notes.

Cavaquinho Tips

Practice the E Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio on your instrument at a slow, comfortable tempo, focusing on clean articulation of each of the 4 tones before gradually increasing speed.

Related Resources

Explore E Suspended Fourth Seventh in Other Tunings

E Suspended Fourth Seventh in Standard (D-G-B-D)

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