A Suspended Second Cavaquinho Arpeggio
Cavaquinho arpeggio — fretboard diagram
A Suspended Second Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: A, B, E
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 5P
Formula: W-5
Number of notes: 3
Also known as: sus2
The A Suspended Second arpeggio contains 3 notes (A, B, E). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Cavaquinho with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the A Suspended Second Arpeggio
Play the A Suspended Second arpeggio whenever a A 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 A Suspended Second arpeggio uses 3 notes (A, B, E) 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 A Suspended Second Arpeggio on Cavaquinho
Locate A on your instrument and play through the 3 notes of the Suspended Second arpeggio (A, B, E) slowly, ensuring each tone rings clearly before connecting them at speed.
The A Suspended Second arpeggio avoids the third, creating an open, unresolved sound. It works over Asus4, Asus2, A7sus4 voicings and is perfect for creating a modern, ambiguous harmonic feel that neither commits to major nor minor.
Practice Routine
Play the A Suspended Second arpeggio as whole notes over a backing track or drone on A. Focus on intonation and tone quality for each of the 3 notes (A, B, E). After a few passes, begin improvising short melodic phrases built from these arpeggio tones, connecting them with passing notes.
Cavaquinho Tips
Practice the A Suspended Second arpeggio on your instrument at a slow, comfortable tempo, focusing on clean articulation of each of the 3 tones before gradually increasing speed.