A Suspended Fourth Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
A Suspended Fourth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: A, D, E
Intervals: 1P, 4P, 5P
Formula: 5-W
Number of notes: 3
Also known as: sus4, sus
The A Suspended Fourth arpeggio contains 3 notes (A, D, E). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the A Suspended Fourth Arpeggio
Play the A Suspended Fourth arpeggio whenever a A Suspended Fourth 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 Fourth arpeggio uses 3 notes (A, D, 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 Fourth Arpeggio on Guitar
Root your A Suspended Fourth arpeggio at fret 5 on the 6th (low E), or alternatively at open position using open A string. With only 3 notes (A, D, E), this arpeggio spans wide intervals across the strings — sweep picking is an efficient way to move through it cleanly. Keep your pick angle consistent and let each note ring individually.
The A Suspended Fourth 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
Start by playing the A Suspended Fourth arpeggio ascending and descending at 60 BPM, one note per beat, using a metronome. Once even and confident, play it in eighth notes, then triplets, keeping each note articulate. Spend at least 5 minutes daily on this before moving to musical application.
Guitar Tips
Try playing the A Suspended Fourth arpeggio on guitar by superimposing it over the corresponding A major barre chord shape. This visual connection between chord and arpeggio helps you find arpeggio tones instantly during improvisation.
Related Resources
Explore A Suspended Fourth in Other Tunings
- A Suspended Fourth in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- A Suspended Fourth in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- A Suspended Fourth in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- A Suspended Fourth in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- A Suspended Fourth in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- A Suspended Fourth in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- A Suspended Fourth in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- A Suspended Fourth in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- A Suspended Fourth in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- A Suspended Fourth in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- A Suspended Fourth in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- A Suspended Fourth in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- A Suspended Fourth in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- A Suspended Fourth in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)