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NON-CHORD TONES (NCT) OR NON- HARMONIC TONES (NHT)
A non-chord tone, non-harmonic tone, or non-harmony note is a note in a
piece of music which is not a part of the chord that is formed by the other notes
sounding at the time. Non-chord tones are most often discussed in the context of
music of the common practice period, but can be used in analysis of other types
of tonal music as well.
For example, if a piece of music is currently on a C Major chord, the notes CEG
are members of that chord, while any other note played at that time is a nonchord tone. While such tones are most obvious in homophonic music, they can
occur in contrapuntal music as well.
A non-chord tone is a dissonance and is required to resolve to a chord tone in
conventional ways. If the note fails to resolve until the next change of harmony, it
may instead create a seventh chord or extended chord. While it is theoretically
possible that for a three-note chord there are (in equal temperament) nine
possible non-chord tones, non-chord tones are usually in the prevailing key.
The following list is not exhaustive, but identifies the most common types of nonchord tones.
Anticipation
An anticipation occurs when a note is played before the chord to which the
note belongs and resolves when the "anticipated" chord is reached:
As the name would suggest, an Anticipation is a note that just couldn't wait for
the next chord and sounds early. It is approached by either a step or a leap from
a consonant note to the dissonance, then usually resolves by step. When
resolved by a leap, it is often referred to as a free anticipation.
Neighbor tone
A neighbor tone or auxiliary note is a non-chord tone which is preceded by a
chord tone directly above or below it and resolves to the same tone:
In practice and analysis, neighboring tones are often differentiated depending
upon whether or not they are lower or higher than the chord tones surrounding
them. A neighboring tone that is a step higher than the surrounding chord tones
is called an upper neighboring tone or an upper auxiliary note whereas a
neighboring tone that is a step lower than the surrounding chord tones is a lower
neighboring tone or lower auxiliary note.
Neighbor tones are notes one scale degree above or below the primary tone
and are used to provide rhythmic interest between common tones. Chromatic
neighboring tones are frequently used because of the strong half-step resolution
they possess.
Passing tone
Generally, a passing tone is considered to be a scale tone between two chord
tones. However, it could also be a semitone between two scale tones that are a
whole tone apart. And, in a strict classical sense, passing tones are meant to be
on “weak” beats. Whatever the definitions, passing tones are an excellent means
of connecting notes.
A passing tone or passing note is the non-chord tone of a part which had
started at one chord tone and moved up or down through one or more
non-chord tones and resolved to another chord tone (possibly of another
chord, often of the same chord). It can also be a non-chord note between
two common tones (tones that are the same side by side):
Passing tones allow smooth, scale-wise motion in tonal music by "filling-in" the
space between two primary notes. These primary notes are usually a third apart,
with the passing tone being the diatonic scale degree in between. However, other
intervals may also have passing tones between them. Two or more passing
tones might be used to smooth over a leap of a fourth, or a single, chromatic
passing tone may be used to strengthen the movement of a major second.
Passing tones are among the most common and frequently used NCTs.
Suspension
A suspension occurs when the harmony shifts from one chord to another, but
one or more notes of the first chord are temporarily held over into the
second in which they are non-chord tones before resolving to a chord
tone:
Suspensions may be further described using the number of the interval forming
the suspension and its resolution; e.g. 4-3 suspension, 7-6 suspension, 9-8
suspension. Most suspensions resolve downwards; the example shown above,
a 7-8 suspension, is a rare example of an upwards resolution (also called a
retardation).
Name
9-8
7-6
4-3
Suspended
Tone
9th
7th
4th
Resolution
8th
6th
3rd
A suspension must be prepared with the same note (in the same voice) using a
chord tone in the preceding chord; otherwise it is an appoggiatura. The notes
are often tied, but this is optional.
A suspension holds a consonant chord tone beyond the chord to which it
belongs and into the next chord before "dropping" down a step to resolve. A
Suspension has three parts: a preparation (the initial, consonant attack), a
suspension (when the chord changes, but the suspended note doesn't), and a
resolution when the suspension proceeds down to the consonant chord tone a
second below.) When several suspensions occur in a row, they are referred to as
a chain of suspensions .
A suspended chord is an added tone chord with a "suspended" fourth or second
as an added tone which doesn't resolve.
Escape tone
An escape tone or echappée is a movement by step in the opposite direction
of the harmonic motion in that voice and is resolved by leap in the
direction of harmonic motion:
Escape tones "escape" from the harmony by step, then leap in the opposite
direction to freedom in the next chord. In this manner, they are a type of reverse
appoggiatura. Chromatic escape tones are rarely found due to the non-stepwise
resolution.
Appoggiatura are sometimes used to provide this function:
An Appoggiatura has an effect similar to a suspension without a preparation. It
is a NCT occurring on the beat (accented) and resolves down a step. It is not,
however, held over from the previous note, but usually is approached by an
upward leap. This expressive type of NCT is frequently found in music of the
Romantic period, due to its powerful "yearning" to resolve.
Pedal point
Another form of non-chord tone is a pedal point or pedal tone or note, almost
always the tonic or dominant, which is held through a series of chord changes.
The pedal point is almost always in the lowest voice (the term originates from
organ playing), but it may be in an upper voice; then it may be called an inverted
pedal. It may also be between the upper and lower voices, in which case it is
called an internal pedal.
Retardation
A Retardation is similar to a suspension except that the resolution is up a step,
not down. It also has a preparation (the initial, consonant attack), a suspension
(when the chord changes, but the suspended note doesn't), and a resolution
when the suspension proceeds up a second to the consonant chord tone.) Unlike
suspensions, retardations seldom occur one after another in a chain.
Changing Tone
A changing tone is two non-harmonic tones that moves away from the
chord tone by step and leaps to a new non harmonic tone and returns
to the chordal tone by step.