**Non-harmonic tones** (also known as embellishing tones or non-chord tones) are notes that do not belong to the underlying harmony. ## Passing Tone A **passing tone** is a non-harmonic tone that is approached by a step and left by a step in the same direction. **Example 1a** shows two passing tones (A and C), both of which are dissonant against the underlying G major harmony and both of which are approached by step and left by step in the same direction. **Example 1a.** Passing tones. ![[non-harmonic tones example 1a.png]] ![[non-harmonic tones example 1a.mp3]] It is also possible to have two consecutive passing tones. As shown in **Example 1b**, both F and G are dissonant against the underlying A♭ major harmony. Consecutive passing tones tend to occur when filling out the gap between scale degrees $\hat{5}$ and $\hat{1}$. **Example 1b.** Consecutive passing tones. ![[non-harmonic tones example 1b.png]] ![[non-harmonic tones example 1b.mp3]] Passing tones are typically unaccented, although it is not uncommon to encounter accented passing tones as shown in **Example 1c**. **Example 1c.** Accented passing tones. ![[non-harmonic tones example 1c.png]] ![[non-harmonic tones example 1c.mp3]] ## Neighbor Tone A **neighbor tone** (also known as an auxiliary tone) is a non-harmonic tone that is approached by a step and left by a step in the opposite direction, returning to the initial note. **Example 2a** shows two neighbor tones (D and B♭). D is approached by step from C and returns by step to C, whereas B♭ is approached by step from A and returns by step to A. **Example 2a.** Neighbor tones. ![[non-harmonic tones example 2a.png]] ![[non-harmonic tones example 2a.mp3]] Like passing tones, neighbor tones are typically unaccented, although it is not unusual to encounter accented neighbor tones. ## Incomplete Neighbor Tones An **incomplete neighbor tone** occurs when a non-harmonic tone is approached by step and left by leap or vice versa. There are two types of incomplete neighbor tones: escape tones, and cambiatas. ### Escape Tone An **escape tone** is an unaccented non-harmonic tone that is approached by step and left by leap (most often in the opposite direction). **Example 3a** shows two escape tones (A and G♯). Escape tones generally tend to be rhythmically shorter than the notes they embellish. **Example 3a**. Escape tones. ![[non-harmonic tones example 3a.png]] ![[non-harmonic tones example 3a.mp3]] ### Cambiata A **cambiata** is an unaccented non-harmonic tone that is approached by leap and left by step in the opposite direction. **Example 3b** shows a cambiata (B♭) which is approached by leap and resolves by step downward. The cambiata is similar to the appoggiatura (below); however, the appoggiatura is accented whereas the cambiata is not. **Example 3b.** Cambiata. ![[non-harmonic tones example 3b.png]] ![[non-harmonic tones example 3b.mp3]] ## Neighbor Group A **neighbor group** is a pair of incomplete neighbor tones, the upper and lower neighbors of a principal tone. The first note of a neighbor group is approached by step then leaps in the opposite direction to the second note of the neighbor group before resolving to the principal tone. **Example 4a** shows the neighbor group (A–F♯). Note that A is the upper neighbor to G♯ whereas F♯ is the lower neighbor to G♯. **Example 4a.** Neighbor group. ![[non-harmonic tones example 4a.png]] ![[non-harmonic tones example 4a.mp3]] ## Appoggiatura An **appoggiatura** (Italian *appoggiare*, “lean upon, rest”) is a type of accented non-harmonic tone that generally occurs on a strong beat and is often approached by leap and resolved by step in the opposite direction. **Example 5a** below shows an appoggiatura (C) on beat 3, which is approached by leap and left by step in the opposite direction. **Example 5a.** Appoggiatura. ![[non-harmonic tones example 5a.png]] ![[non-harmonic tones example 5a.mp3]] ## Suspension Like the appoggiatura, the **suspension** is a type of accented non-harmonic tone that generally occurs on a strong beat. Whereas the appoggiatura is approached by leap, the suspension is “prepared” by a consonant note from the previous harmony, usually tied or held over through a longer note value before resolving downward by step. In **Example 6a** below, the suspended note (G) on beat 3 is prepared by the previous G major triad. The dissonance occurs on beat 3 before resolving downward on beat 4 to F♯. **Example 6a.** Suspension. ![[non-harmonic tones example 6a.png]] ![[non-harmonic tones example 6a.mp3]] ## Retardation A **retardation** is a non-harmonic tone that exhibits the same features as a suspension except that it resolves upward instead of downward. **Example 7a** shows the retardation (A) on beat 3, which is prepared by the A in the previous harmony before resolving upward to B. **Example 7a.** Retardation. ![[non-harmonic tones example 7a.png]] ![[non-harmonic tones example 7a.mp3]]