D Suspended Fourth Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
D Suspended Fourth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: D, G, A
Intervals: 1P, 4P, 5P
Formula: 5-W
Number of notes: 3
Also known as: sus4, sus
The D Suspended Fourth arpeggio contains 3 notes (D, G, A). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the D Suspended Fourth Arpeggio
Play the D Suspended Fourth arpeggio whenever a D 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 D Suspended Fourth arpeggio uses 3 notes (D, G, 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 Fourth Arpeggio on Guitar
Root your D Suspended Fourth arpeggio at fret 10 on the 6th (low E), or alternatively at 5th fret on the A string. With only 3 notes (D, G, 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 Fourth arpeggio avoids the third, creating an open, unresolved sound. It works over Dsus4, Dsus2, D7sus4 voicings and is perfect for creating a modern, ambiguous harmonic feel that neither commits to major nor minor.
Practice Routine
Play the D Suspended Fourth arpeggio as whole notes over a backing track or drone on D. Focus on intonation and tone quality for each of the 3 notes (D, G, A). After a few passes, begin improvising short melodic phrases built from these arpeggio tones, connecting them with passing notes.
Guitar Tips
On guitar, practice the D Suspended Fourth arpeggio using sweep picking across all six strings. Start with downstrokes ascending and upstrokes descending at a slow tempo, keeping each note separated rather than blurred. Mute unused strings with your fretting hand to keep the sound clean.
Related Resources
Explore D Suspended Fourth in Other Tunings
- D Suspended Fourth in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- D Suspended Fourth in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- D Suspended Fourth in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- D Suspended Fourth in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- D Suspended Fourth in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- D Suspended Fourth in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- D Suspended Fourth in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- D Suspended Fourth in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- D Suspended Fourth in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- D Suspended Fourth in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- D Suspended Fourth in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- D Suspended Fourth in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- D Suspended Fourth in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- D Suspended Fourth in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)