What is an example of a non harmonic tone?
Emily Dawson
Published Mar 13, 2026
What is an example of a non harmonic tone?
Non-harmony notes (or nonharmonic tones) are notes that do not belong in a certain chord. In this example, the F is a nonharmonic tone because it does not fit into the I chord (which contains C, E, and G).
How do you resolve non-chord tones?
10.12 Adding Non-Chord Tones to a Chord Progression
- Add a suspension by delaying the resolution of the note.
- Add an escape tone by moving by step in the opposite direction of the original stepwise movement, then leap.
- Add a double neighbor.
- Add a chromatic passing tone.
- Add an anticipation.
Why use non-chord tones?
Non-chord tones, as you might guess from the name, are notes that are not part of the harmony at any given moment. They are used to either embellish or smooth out melodic lines.
What are the two types of non harmonic tones?
Nonchord tones are often categorized as accented non-chord tones and unaccented non-chord tones depending on whether the dissonance occurs on an accented or unaccented beat (or part of a beat). Over time, some musical styles assimilated chord types outside of the common-practice style.
What is non harmonic music?
NON-HARMONIC TONES, also called Embellishing Tones or Non-Chord Tones are notes in a piece of music that do not fit into the vertical chord harmonically. These notes are present in a piece of music to allow for more melodic movement of each voice, especially the soprano melody.
Do suspensions have to be tied?
Suspensions DO NOT have to be prepared with a tie–just approached by the same pitch. Dissonant “b” on strong beat of bar 2 is prepared by the same pitch in bar 1, and resolves UP by step in bar 2.
What are the different kinds of non-chord tones?
10.1 Introduction to Non-Chord Tones
| Non-Chord Tone | Approached by | Left by |
|---|---|---|
| Escape Tone | step | leap in opposite direction |
| Double Neighbor | see text | see text |
| Anticipation | step | same note |
| Pedal Point | same note | same note |
What is an escape tone?
🔗 An escape tone is approached by step and left by leap in the opposite direction. An easy example to remember is the end of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” The word “of” in “home of the brave” is an escape tone.
Can suspensions resolve up?
Suspensions must resolve downwards. If a tied note is prepared like a suspension but resolves upwards, it is called a retardation.
What is a harmonic tone?
A harmonic is a sound wave that has a frequency that is an integer multiple of a fundamental tone. The lowest frequency sound that can be produced on the tube is the fundamental tone frequency. From low to high, the harmonics will be C, C, G, C, E, C, A♭.
What are the different types of non-harmonic tones?
Some types of non-harmonic tones are only accented and others can be accented or unaccented. UNACCENTED: These are non-harmonic tones occurring off the beat (on eighth or sixteenth notes). Some types of non-harmonic tones below are only unaccented and others can be unaccented or accented depending on where they are placed.
Why are nonharmonic tones important in music?
In tonal music, nonharmonic tones are used to embellish chords, to allow for distinctive profiles of melodic lines, and in general to animate the musical texture. Being able to identify and name nonharmonic tones will be indispensable to your understanding of tonal harmony.
What are non-chord tones?
Non-Chord Tones (also called “non-harmonic tones” or “embellishing tones”) – In each case, only ONE note is the actual dissonance, and that dissonant note is “approached” (by the note before) and “resolved” (by the note after) in a certain way.
How do you use passing tones?
Typically, as in Example 15–3 through Example 15–5, passing tones fill in the melodic interval of a third. Two passing tones may also be used consecutively to fill in a fourth between chord tones. The melodic fourth in the upper part of Example 15–6 might be embellished with a pair of consecutive passing tones, as illustrated in Example 15–7:
