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Mr. Jackson AP Music Theory

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Non-chord tones (or non-harmonic tones) are notes that dont belong in a particular chord, creating a temporary dissonance against the correct members of the chord. NCTs may occur in any voice, but are most common in the melody. Composers use NCTs as: Ornaments Embellishments Tension devices Connect Chord tones together in a more pleasant melodic line NCTs are analyzed in THREE parts. PREPARATION DISSONANT TONE (NCT) RESOLUTION Note: the PREPARATION and the RESOLUTION are chord tones, meaning they belong in the chord! The PREPARATION describes how the NCT is APPROACHED. The RESOLUTION describes how the NCT is LEFT! The labeling of NCTs is one of those areas which many music theorists agree to disagree, but you need to understand the meaning of the NCTs and not just their label.

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Passing tone (PT) Neighboring tone (NT) Suspension (SUS) Retardation (RET) Appoggiatura (APP) Escape Tone (ET) Neighbor Group/Changing Tones (CT) Anticipation (ANT) Pedal Point (PED)

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Usually occurs between two tones that are separated at the interval of a third. The passing tone takes the place of the scale degree between the two other tones by moving stepwise in one direction. Accented Passing Tone occurs when the passing tone that is not part of the chord occurs on the beat. Chromatic Passing Tone a non- diatonic note (requiring an accidental) connecting two chord tones together.

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Approached by step. Left by step in the same direction.

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Used to embellish a single tone. The neighbor tone is approached by step and left by step in the opposite direction. The neighbor tone may appear either above or below the tone being embellished. These are called upper or lower neighbors. Neighboring tones may be either diatonic or chromatic.

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Approached by step. Left by step in the opposite direction.

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An incomplete neighbor, or cambiata, is a NCT approached by skip/leap in one direction and is resolved by stepwise motion in the opposite direction ON A WEAK RHYTHMIC POSITION! A Neighbor Group is sometimes called a changing tone, which we will cover later.

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A common method of embellishing a single tone by using a combination of two NCTs in succession, one above and one below the chord tone.

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Combination of upper neighbor and lower neighbors.

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An NCT that is accented, and approached by ascending leap and left by descending step and occurs ON THE BEAT! This NCT was more typical of music in the 19 th century than in the 18 th century. This NCT may or may not be Mr. Jacksons favorite and you might get extra credit for spelling it.. Learn to spell it

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Approached by leap. Left by step in the opposite direction.

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The melodic contour of the escape tone is the exact opposite of the appoggiatura. Escape tone is approached by step and left by leap in the opposite direction. Escape tones are usually sub metrical, unaccented, and diatonic.

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Approached by step. Left by leap

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Holds over (or suspends) a chord tone after the other parts of the chord have moved to the next chord. Almost always falls on the accented beat. Named for the interval numbers above the bass of the dissonant tone and the resolution. The common suspensions are: 9-8 Suspension 7-6 Suspension 4-3 Suspension

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Preparation- the tone proceeding the suspension will be the same pitch as the suspension. Suspension- May or may not be tied to the preparation. This is the actual NCT. Resolution- The tone following the suspension and lying a 2 nd below the suspension. The preparation and the resolution are usually chord tones though the preparation can be an NCT.

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Approached by same note. Left by step down. This example would be a 7-6 suspension. Suspensions are often connected to their preparation by a tie. When the suspended note is not tied to its preparation, it is called a rearticulated suspension.

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The suspension is calculated based on the interval above the bass note in the chord over which it occurs. The first part of the name is the generic interval of the bass to the suspension and the second part is the distance from the bass to the resolution. Most Common Suspensions 9-8, 7-6, 4-3

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Most of the rules regarding retardations are identical to suspensions. Main difference is that a retardation resolves upward. Can occur anywhere in a passage of music but are especially common at cadences. Retardations occurring at cadences often involve the 7 th scale degree resolving upward to scale degree 1.

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Approached by same note. Left by step up.

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Anticipates a chord that has not yet been reached. The NCT moves by either step or leap to a pitch that is a chord tone in the next chord. Most anticipations are approached by step. Though approach by leap is not rare. The Anticipation cannot be a common tone between the two chords.

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Approached by step or leap. Left by same note

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The least common approach to the anticipation is by leap and then being left by leap. This is referred to as a free anticipation.

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This is a compositional device that begins as a chord tone then becomes an NCT as the harmony below it changes. The NCT then becomes a chord tone again.

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The name for this NCT comes from its frequent use in organ music. The most frequently sustained pitch is either the tonic or the dominant. Pedal points occasionally occur in parts other then the bass. These are called inverted pedal points.

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Ex: Bach, French Suite No. 2, Sarabande

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Ex: Bach, Danket dem Herrn

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1.Passing tone fills in the gaps between chord tones a third apart. 2.Lower neighbor is one step below two of the same chord tones. 3.Accented upper neighbor occurs on the beat. 4.Passing tone fills in the gaps between chord tones a third apart. 5.Escape tone is unaccented approached by step and moves away in the opposite direction by leap. 6.Appoggiatura is on the beat (accented) and is approached by leap and resolves in the opposite direction by step. 7.Upper neighbor is one step above two of the same chord tones. 8.Incomplete neighbor occurs on a weak beat and leaves by skip and resolves by step in the opposite direction. 9.Suspension (in this case 4-3) is held over from the preparation chord and resolves by step in the opposite direction.