Arpeggio
C♯ sus2
Sus
- Formula
- 1 2 5
- Notes
- C♯ D♯ G♯
Notation
Fretboard — frets 0–24
Degrees
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C♯ | perfect unison | 0 | The root — the tonal centre every other note is heard against; land on it and the sound resolves. |
| 2 | D♯ | major second | 2 | The major second — a bright neighbour a whole step above the root; in sus2 it replaces the third, so the chord commits to neither major nor minor. |
| 5 | G♯ | perfect fifth | 7 | The perfect fifth — the root's strongest companion; it anchors every triad and stacked-seventh quality. |
About this arpeggio
The suspended second chord replaces the third with the second, leaving a root, a major second and a perfect fifth. With no third, it is neither major nor minor — it simply hangs, open and ambiguous. That neutrality is its strength: it works as a passing colour, a folk or ambient texture, and a way to avoid committing a harmony. The second sits a whole step above the root and rubs gently against it, so the chord sounds modern rather than tense. On the neck the shape is symmetrical and easy to move. Listen for the missing third: its absence is the sound.
How to practise this arpeggio
- Play the second against the root and listen for the whole-step rub.
- Compare it with the major triad and hear the missing third.
- Move the shape across the neck and use it as a passing chord.
- Improvise over a sus2 vamp and avoid the third entirely.