A nonchord tone (NCT), nonharmonic tone, or embellishing tone is a note in a piece of music or song that is not part of the implied or expressed chord set out by the harmonic framework. In contrast, a chord tone is a note that is a part of the functional chord. Nonchord tones are most often discussed in the context of the common practice period of classical music, but the term can also be used in the analysis of other types of tonal music, such as Western popular music.
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. In these chords, tones that might normally be considered nonchord tones are viewed as chord tones, such as the seventh of a minor seventh chord. For example, in 1940s-era bebop jazz, an F played with a C chord would be considered a chord tone if the chord were analyzed as C<sup>7(11)</sup>. In European classical music, "[t]he greater use of dissonance from period to period as a result of the dialectic of linear/vertical forces led to gradual normalization of ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth chords [in analysis and theory]; each additional non-chord tone above the foundational triad became frozen into the chordal mass."
Theory
Chord and nonchord tones are defined by their membership (or lack of membership) in a chord: "The pitches which make up a chord are called chord-tones: any other pitches are called non-chord-tones." They are also defined by the time at which they sound: "Nonharmonic tones are pitches that sound along with a chord but are not chord pitches." For example, if an excerpt from a piece of music implies or uses a C-major chord, then the notes C, E and G are members of that chord, while any other note played at that time (e.g., notes such as F) is a nonchord tone. Such tones are most obvious in homophonic music but occur at least as frequently in contrapuntal music.
According to Music in Theory and Practice, "Most nonharmonic tones are dissonant and create intervals of a second, fourth or seventh", though today it refers to a glissando.
:<score>
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff <<
\relative c {
\clef treble \key c \major \time 4/2
\partial2 d2~ d c4 d e f g e
}
>>
\new Staff <<
\relative c {
\clef treble \key c \major \time 4/2
\partial2 b2~ b4 \once \override NoteHead.color = #red a a2 g e
}
>>
>>
</score>
:File:Portamento.mid
Neighbor tone<!--Neighbor note and neighbor tone redirect directly here.-->
A neighbor tone (NT) or auxiliary note (AUX) is a nonchord tone that passes stepwise from a chord tone directly above or below it (which frequently causes the NT to create dissonance with the chord) and resolves to the same chord tone:
:<score sound="1">
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff <<
\new Voice \relative c {
\clef treble \key c \major \time 4/4
\stemUp c4 \once \override NoteHead.color = #red d c2
}
\new Voice \relative c' {
\stemDown e2 e
}
>>
\new Staff <<
\relative c {
\clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4
<c g'>2 <c g'> \bar "||"
}
>>
>>
</score>
In practice and analysis, neighboring tones are sometimes 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 while a neighboring tone that is a step lower than the surrounding chord tones is a lower neighboring tone or lower auxiliary note. However, following Heinrich Schenker's usage in Free Composition, some authors reserve the term "neighbor note" to the lower neighbor a half step below the main note.
The German term Nebennote is a somewhat broader category, including all nonchord tones approached from the main note by step.
:<score sound="1">
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff <<
\new Voice \relative c {
\clef treble \key c \major \time 4/4
\stemUp g1 \once \override NoteHead.color = #red a2 g
}
\new Voice \relative c' {
\stemDown e1 e
}
>>
\new Staff <<
\relative c {
\clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4
<c g'>1 <c g'> \bar "||"
}
>>
>>
</score>
===Suspension and retardation===<!-- This section is linked from Goldberg Variations and Syncope (music), see MOS:SECTIONS -->
A suspension (SUS) (sometimes referred to as a syncope) occurs when the harmony shifts from one chord to another, but one or more notes of the first chord (the preparation) are either temporarily held over into or are played again against the following chord (against which they are nonchord tones called the suspension) before resolving downwards to a chord tone by step (the resolution). The whole process is called a suspension as well as the specific nonchord tone(s).
Suspensions may be further described with two numbers: (1) the interval between the suspended note and the bass note and (2) the interval between the resolution and the bass note. The most common suspensions are 4–3 suspension, 7–6 suspension, or 9–8 suspension. Note that except for the 9–8 suspensions, the numbers are typically referred to using the simple intervals, so for instance, if the intervals are actually an 11th and a 10th (the first example below), one would typically call it a 4–3 suspension. If the bass note is suspended, then the interval is calculated between the bass and the part that is most dissonant with it, often resulting in a 2–3 suspension.
:<score sound="1">
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff <<
\new Voice \relative c {
\stemUp \clef treble \key c \major \time 4/4
c1^~ \once \override NoteHead.color = #red c2^\markup { " 4 – 3" } b2
c1^~ \once \override NoteHead.color = #red c2^\markup { " 7 – 6" } b2
c1^~ \once \override NoteHead.color = #red c2^\markup { " 9 – 8" } b2
c1 d^\markup { " 2 – 3" }
}
\new Voice \relative c' {
\stemDown
e1 d
e d
e d
e d
}
>>
\new Staff <<
\new Voice \relative c' {
\clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4
\stemUp g1 s
g f
g g
g g
}
\new Voice \relative c {
\clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4
\stemDown c1 g' \bar "||"
c, d \bar "||"
c b \bar "||"
c_~ \once \override NoteHead.color = #red c2 b \bar "||"
}
>>
>>
</score>
Suspensions must resolve downwards. If a tied note is prepared like a suspension but resolves upwards, it is called a retardation. Common retardations include 2–3 and 7–8 retardations.
:<score sound="1">
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff <<
\new Voice \relative c {
\stemUp \clef treble \key c \major \time 4/4
c1^~ \once \override NoteHead.color = #red c2^\markup { " 2 – 3" } d2
c1^~ \once \override NoteHead.color = #red c2^\markup { " 7 – 8" } d2
}
\new Voice \relative c' {
\stemDown
e1 d
e d
}
>>
\new Staff <<
\new Voice \relative c {
\clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4
<c g'>1 <b g'> \bar "||"
<c g'> <d f> \bar "||"
}
>>
>>
</score>
Decorated suspensions are common and consist of portamentos or double eighth notes, the second being a lower neighbor tone.
:<score sound="1">
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff <<
\new Voice \relative c {
\stemUp \clef treble \key c \major \time 4/4
c1^~ \once \override NoteHead.color = #red c4 b8 a b2
}
\new Voice \relative c' {
\stemDown e1 d
}
>>
\new Staff <<
\new Voice \relative c' {
\clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4
\stemUp g1 s
}
\new Voice \relative c {
\clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4
\stemDown c1 g' \bar "||"
}
>>
>>
</score>
A chain of suspensions constitutes the fourth species of counterpoint; an example may be found in the second movement of Corelli's Christmas Concerto.
:<score>
{
<< \new StaffGroup <<
\new Staff <<
\tempo Allegro
\set Staff.instrumentName = #"Vln. I"
\relative c {
\clef treble \key g \minor \time 4/4
g2 a
bes4 g2 fis4
g4 bes2 a4
bes2 c
d4 bes2 a4~
a g2 fis4
g4. a8 fis d g4~
g fis g
}
>>
\new Staff <<
\set Staff.instrumentName = #"Vln. II"
\relative c {
\clef treble \key g \minor \time 4/4
r4 g2 fis4
g2 a
bes c
d4 bes2 a4
r d c2
bes2 a4 d,~
d8 g, c2 bes4
a2 g4
}
>>
\new Staff <<
\relative c' {
\set Staff.instrumentName = #"Vcl."
\clef bass \key g \minor \time 4/4
r8 g bes g c a d d,
g g, bes g c a d d,
g bes' d bes es c f f,
bes bes, d bes es c f f,
bes bes' d bes e, c' fis, d'
g, a bes c d c d d,
es d es c d fis g bes,
c a d d, g r
}
>>
>>
>> }
</score>
:File:Corelli, Christmas Concerto, 2nd movement.wav
Appoggiatura
An appoggiatura (APP) is a type of accented incomplete neighbor tone approached skip-wise from one chord tone and resolved stepwise to another chord tone ("overshooting" the chord tone).
:<score sound="1">
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff <<
\new Voice \relative c {
\stemUp \clef treble \key c \major \time 4/4
g1 \once \override NoteHead.color = #red c2 b
}
\new Voice \relative c' {
\stemDown
e1 d
}
>>
\new Staff <<
\new Voice \relative c' {
\clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4
\stemUp g1 s
}
\new Voice \relative c {
\clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4
\stemDown c1 g' \bar "||"
}
>>
>>
</score>
Nonharmonic bass<!--Nonharmonic bass redirects directly here.-->
Nonharmonic bass notes are bass notes that are not a member of the chord below which they are written. Examples include the Elektra chord. An example of a nonharmonic bass from the third movement of Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms.
:<score sound="1">
{ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff <<
\relative c' {
\stemUp \clef treble \key c \major \time 4/4
<f a f' c'>1
}
>>
\new Staff <<
\relative c, {
\clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4
\ottava #-1 \once \override NoteHead.color = #red <bes bes'>1
}
>>
>>
}
</score>
Involving more than three notes
Changing tones
Changing tones (CT) are two successive nonharmonic tones. A chord tone steps to a nonchord tone which skips to another nonchord tone which leads by step to a chord tone, often the same chord tone. They may imply neighboring tones with a missing or implied note in the middle. Also called double neighboring tones or neighbor group. The example below shows chromatic nonharmonic tones (in red) in the first four measures of Chopin's Prelude No. 21, op. 28.