B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: B, E, F#, A, C
Intervals: 1P, 4P, 5P, 7m, 9m
Formula: 5-W-WH-WH
Number of notes: 5
Also known as: b9sus, phryg, 7b9sus, 7b9sus4
The B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio contains 5 notes (B, E, F#, A, C). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth Arpeggio
Play the B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio whenever a B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth 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 B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio uses 5 notes (B, E, F#, A, C) 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 B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth Arpeggio on Guitar
Root your B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio at fret 7 on the 6th (low E), or alternatively at 2nd fret on the A string. This 5-note arpeggio (B, E, F#, A, C) benefits from economy picking, combining sweep and alternate picking motions. Practice isolating two-string pairs to build coordination before linking the full shape.
The B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio avoids the third, creating an open, unresolved sound. It works over Bsus4, Bsus2, B7sus4 voicings and is perfect for creating a modern, ambiguous harmonic feel that neither commits to major nor minor.
Practice Routine
Practice the B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio in different octaves, starting low and working up. Then try displacing the octaves — play the root low, the E an octave higher, and continue leaping. This trains your ear to hear the intervals (1P, 4P, 5P, 7m, 9m) in any register.
Guitar Tips
On guitar, practice the B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio using string skipping — jump over a string between each note to create wider intervals. This technique produces a more pianistic, open sound compared to sweep picking and develops precise right-hand accuracy.
Related Resources
Explore B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Other Tunings
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)