E Suspended Fourth Mandolin Arpeggio
Mandolin arpeggio — fretboard diagram
E Suspended Fourth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: E, A, B
Intervals: 1P, 4P, 5P
Formula: 5-W
Number of notes: 3
Also known as: sus4, sus
The E Suspended Fourth arpeggio contains 3 notes (E, A, B). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Mandolin with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the E Suspended Fourth Arpeggio
Play the E Suspended Fourth arpeggio whenever a E 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 E Suspended Fourth arpeggio uses 3 notes (E, A, B) 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 E Suspended Fourth Arpeggio on Mandolin
Locate E on your instrument and play through the 3 notes of the Suspended Fourth arpeggio (E, A, B) slowly, ensuring each tone rings clearly before connecting them at speed.
The E Suspended Fourth arpeggio avoids the third, creating an open, unresolved sound. It works over Esus4, Esus2, E7sus4 voicings and is perfect for creating a modern, ambiguous harmonic feel that neither commits to major nor minor.
Practice Routine
Practice the E Suspended Fourth arpeggio in different octaves, starting low and working up. Then try displacing the octaves — play the root low, the A an octave higher, and continue leaping. This trains your ear to hear the intervals (1P, 4P, 5P) in any register.
Mandolin Tips
Practice the E 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.