E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: E, A, B, D, F
Intervals: 1P, 4P, 5P, 7m, 9m
Formula: 5-W-WH-WH
Number of notes: 5
Also known as: b9sus, phryg, 7b9sus, 7b9sus4
The E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio contains 5 notes (E, A, B, D, F). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth Arpeggio
Play the E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio whenever a E 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 E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio uses 5 notes (E, A, B, D, F) 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 Flat Ninth Arpeggio on Guitar
Start the E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio in open position, using the open E string as your root. This 5-note arpeggio (E, A, B, D, F) benefits from economy picking, combining sweep and alternate picking motions. Practice isolating two-string pairs to build coordination before linking the full shape.
The E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth 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
Practice the E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio in different octaves, starting low and working up. Then try displacing the octaves — play the root low, the A 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 E 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 E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Other Tunings
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- E Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)