A# Suspended Fourth Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
A# Suspended Fourth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: A#, D#, F
Intervals: 1P, 4P, 5P
Formula: 5-W
Number of notes: 3
Also known as: sus4, sus
The A# Suspended Fourth arpeggio contains 3 notes (A#, D#, F). Use the interactive fretboard diagram above to explore each arpeggio shape and pattern on Guitar. Practice ascending and descending from the root note across all strings to learn the sound of this arpeggio.
When to Use the A# Suspended Fourth Arpeggio
Play the A# Suspended Fourth arpeggio whenever a A# Suspended Fourth 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 Fourth arpeggio uses 3 notes (A#, 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 A# Suspended Fourth Arpeggio on Guitar
Root your A# Suspended Fourth arpeggio at fret 6 on the 6th (low E), or alternatively at 1st fret on the A string. With only 3 notes (A#, D#, F), 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 A# Suspended Fourth arpeggio avoids the third, creating an open, unresolved sound. It works over A#sus4, A#sus2, A#7sus4 voicings and is perfect for creating a modern, ambiguous harmonic feel that neither commits to major nor minor.
Practice Routine — Exercises for Playing
Play the A# Suspended Fourth 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#, D#, F). 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 A# Suspended Fourth 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
- Harmonize A# Suspended Fourth
- Browse Chord Progressions
- Interactive Circle of Fifths
- A# Suspended Fourth on Bass
Explore A# Suspended Fourth in Other Tunings
- A# Suspended Fourth in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- A# Suspended Fourth in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- A# Suspended Fourth in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- A# Suspended Fourth in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- A# Suspended Fourth in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- A# Suspended Fourth in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- A# Suspended Fourth in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- A# Suspended Fourth in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- A# Suspended Fourth in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- A# Suspended Fourth in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- A# Suspended Fourth in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- A# Suspended Fourth in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- A# Suspended Fourth in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- A# Suspended Fourth in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)