D# Suspended Second Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
D# Suspended Second Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: D#, F, A#
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 5P
Formula: W-5
Number of notes: 3
Also known as: sus2
The D# Suspended Second arpeggio contains 3 notes (D#, F, A#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the D# Suspended Second Arpeggio
Play the D# Suspended Second arpeggio whenever a D# 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 D# Suspended Second arpeggio uses 3 notes (D#, F, A#) 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 D# Suspended Second Arpeggio on Guitar
Root your D# Suspended Second arpeggio at fret 11 on the 6th (low E), or alternatively at 6th fret on the A string. With only 3 notes (D#, F, A#), 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 D# Suspended Second arpeggio avoids the third, creating an open, unresolved sound. It works over D#sus4, D#sus2, D#7sus4 voicings and is perfect for creating a modern, ambiguous harmonic feel that neither commits to major nor minor.
Practice Routine
Practice the D# Suspended Second arpeggio in different octaves, starting low and working up. Then try displacing the octaves — play the root low, the F an octave higher, and continue leaping. This trains your ear to hear the intervals (1P, 2M, 5P) in any register.
Guitar Tips
On guitar, practice the D# Suspended Second 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 D# Suspended Second in Other Tunings
- D# Suspended Second in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- D# Suspended Second in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- D# Suspended Second in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- D# Suspended Second in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- D# Suspended Second in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- D# Suspended Second in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- D# Suspended Second in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- D# Suspended Second in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- D# Suspended Second in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- D# Suspended Second in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- D# Suspended Second in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- D# Suspended Second in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- D# Suspended Second in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- D# Suspended Second in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)