F Dominant Ninth Guitar Arpeggio

F Dominant Ninth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals

Notes: F, A, C, Eb, G

Intervals: 1P, 3M, 5P, 7m, 9M

Formula: 2W-WH-WH-2W

Number of notes: 5

Also known as: 9

The F Dominant Ninth arpeggio contains 5 notes (F, A, C, Eb, G). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.

When to Use the F Dominant Ninth Arpeggio

Play the F Dominant Ninth arpeggio whenever a F Dominant 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 F Dominant Ninth arpeggio uses 5 notes (F, A, C, Eb, G) 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 F Dominant Ninth Arpeggio on Guitar

Root your F Dominant Ninth arpeggio at fret 1 on the 6th (low E), or alternatively at 8th fret on the A string. This 5-note arpeggio (F, A, C, Eb, G) benefits from economy picking, combining sweep and alternate picking motions. Practice isolating two-string pairs to build coordination before linking the full shape.

The F Dominant Ninth arpeggio outlines a dominant seventh chord, creating the tension that wants to resolve. Use it over F7, F9, F13 chords, especially in blues, funk, and jazz where dominant harmony drives the groove.

Practice Routine

Play the F Dominant Ninth arpeggio as whole notes over a backing track or drone on F. Focus on intonation and tone quality for each of the 5 notes (F, A, C, Eb, G). 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 F Dominant Ninth 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 F Dominant Ninth in Other Tunings

• F Dominant Ninth in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
• F Dominant Ninth in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
• F Dominant Ninth in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
• F Dominant Ninth in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
• F Dominant Ninth in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
• F Dominant Ninth in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
• F Dominant Ninth in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
• F Dominant Ninth in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
• F Dominant Ninth in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
• F Dominant Ninth in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
• F Dominant Ninth in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
• F Dominant Ninth in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
• F Dominant Ninth in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
• F Dominant Ninth in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)

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