B Suspended Fourth Mandolin Arpeggio
Mandolin arpeggio — fretboard diagram
B Suspended Fourth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: B, E, F#
Intervals: 1P, 4P, 5P
Formula: 5-W
Number of notes: 3
Also known as: sus4, sus
The B Suspended Fourth arpeggio contains 3 notes (B, E, F#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Mandolin with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the B Suspended Fourth Arpeggio
Play the B Suspended Fourth arpeggio whenever a B 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 B Suspended Fourth arpeggio uses 3 notes (B, E, 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 B Suspended Fourth Arpeggio on Mandolin
Locate B on your instrument and play through the 3 notes of the Suspended Fourth arpeggio (B, E, F#) slowly, ensuring each tone rings clearly before connecting them at speed.
The B Suspended Fourth 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
Start by playing the B Suspended Fourth arpeggio ascending and descending at 60 BPM, one note per beat, using a metronome. Once even and confident, play it in eighth notes, then triplets, keeping each note articulate. Spend at least 5 minutes daily on this before moving to musical application.
Mandolin Tips
Practice the B Suspended Fourth arpeggio on your instrument at a slow, comfortable tempo, focusing on clean articulation of each of the 3 tones before gradually increasing speed.