A# Suspended Second Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
A# Suspended Second Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: A#, C, F
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 5P
Formula: W-5
Number of notes: 3
Also known as: sus2
The A# Suspended Second arpeggio contains 3 notes (A#, C, 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 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#, C, 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 Second Arpeggio on Guitar
Root your A# Suspended Second arpeggio at fret 6 on the 6th (low E), or alternatively at 1st fret on the A string. With only 3 notes (A#, C, 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 Second 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
Practice the A# Suspended Second arpeggio in different octaves, starting low and working up. Then try displacing the octaves — play the root low, the C 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 A# 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
- Harmonize A# Suspended Second
- Browse Chord Progressions
- Interactive Circle of Fifths
- A# Suspended Second on Bass
Explore A# Suspended Second in Other Tunings
- A# Suspended Second in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- A# Suspended Second in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- A# Suspended Second in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- A# Suspended Second in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- A# Suspended Second in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- A# Suspended Second in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- A# Suspended Second in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- A# Suspended Second in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- A# Suspended Second in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- A# Suspended Second in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- A# Suspended Second in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- A# Suspended Second in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- A# Suspended Second in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- A# Suspended Second in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)