E Suspended Second Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
E Suspended Second Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: E, F#, B
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 5P
Formula: W-5
Number of notes: 3
Also known as: sus2
The E Suspended Second arpeggio contains 3 notes (E, F#, B). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the E Suspended Second Arpeggio
Play the E Suspended Second arpeggio whenever a E 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 E Suspended Second arpeggio uses 3 notes (E, F#, B) 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 Second Arpeggio on Guitar
Start the E Suspended Second arpeggio in open position, using the open E string as your root. With only 3 notes (E, F#, B), 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 E Suspended Second 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 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 E 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 E Suspended Second in Other Tunings
- E Suspended Second in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- E Suspended Second in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- E Suspended Second in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- E Suspended Second in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- E Suspended Second in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- E Suspended Second in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- E Suspended Second in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- E Suspended Second in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- E Suspended Second in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- E Suspended Second in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- E Suspended Second in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- E Suspended Second in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- E Suspended Second in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- E Suspended Second in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)