B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth Guitar Arpeggio
Guitar arpeggio — fretboard diagram
B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: B, E, F#, A, C
Intervals: 1P, 4P, 5P, 7m, 9m
Formula: 5-W-WH-WH
Number of notes: 5
Also known as: b9sus, phryg, 7b9sus, 7b9sus4
The B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio contains 5 notes (B, E, F#, A, C). 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 B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth Arpeggio
Play the B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio whenever a B Suspended Fourth Flat 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 B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio uses 5 notes (B, E, F#, A, C) 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 B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth Arpeggio on Guitar
Root your B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio at fret 7 on the 6th (low E), or alternatively at 2nd fret on the A string. This 5-note arpeggio (B, E, F#, A, C) benefits from economy picking, combining sweep and alternate picking motions. Practice isolating two-string pairs to build coordination before linking the full shape.
The B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio avoids the third, creating an open, unresolved sound. It works over Bsus4, Bsus2, B7sus4 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 B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth arpeggio in different octaves, starting low and working up. Then try displacing the octaves — play the root low, the E an octave higher, and continue leaping. This trains your ear to hear the intervals (1P, 4P, 5P, 7m, 9m) in any register.
Guitar Tips
On guitar, practice the B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth 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 B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth
- Browse Chord Progressions
- Interactive Circle of Fifths
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth on Bass
Explore B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Other Tunings
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- B Suspended Fourth Flat Ninth in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)