C# Suspended Second Ukulele Arpeggio
Ukulele arpeggio — fretboard diagram
C# Suspended Second Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: C#, D#, G#
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 5P
Formula: W-5
Number of notes: 3
Also known as: sus2
The C# Suspended Second arpeggio contains 3 notes (C#, D#, G#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Ukulele with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the C# Suspended Second Arpeggio
Play the C# Suspended Second arpeggio whenever a C# 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 C# Suspended Second arpeggio uses 3 notes (C#, D#, 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 C# Suspended Second Arpeggio on Ukulele
On ukulele, find C# around the open strings and play through the arpeggio tones (C#, D#, G#). With 3 notes, this arpeggio fits within a single chord shape on the ukulele. Try picking through the C# Suspended Second chord form to hear the arpeggio in context.
The C# Suspended Second arpeggio avoids the third, creating an open, unresolved sound. It works over C#sus4, C#sus2, C#7sus4 voicings and is perfect for creating a modern, ambiguous harmonic feel that neither commits to major nor minor.
Practice Routine
Play the C# Suspended Second arpeggio as whole notes over a backing track or drone on C#. Focus on intonation and tone quality for each of the 3 notes (C#, D#, G#). After a few passes, begin improvising short melodic phrases built from these arpeggio tones, connecting them with passing notes.
Ukulele Tips
The ukulele's re-entrant tuning creates natural voice leading within the C# Suspended Second arpeggio. Experiment with picking patterns that take advantage of the high G string to create unexpected interval leaps within the arpeggio shape.