AP Music Theory Unit 6 Study Notes: Non-Chord Tones and Musical Embellishment

Non-chord tone (NCT)

A note that sounds against the current harmony but is not a member of the chord at that moment; typically decorative and expected to resolve to a chord tone.

Chord tone

A pitch that belongs to (is a member of) the chord currently sounding; often forms the structural notes of a melody, especially on strong beats or points of arrival.

Structural notes

The primary, harmony-defining melodic tones (often chord tones) that form the framework of a line, with embellishing tones decorating between them.

Harmonic context

The question of what chord is active right now, often inferred from bass motion, harmonic rhythm, and cadential patterns.

Harmonic rhythm

The rate at which chords change in a passage; often slower than melodic motion and crucial for deciding whether an “odd” note is an NCT or a real chord change.

Metric (rhythmic) placement

Where a note falls in the measure (strong vs. weak beat); many NCTs are unaccented on weak beats, while some (like suspensions/appoggiaturas) are intentionally accented.

Stepwise motion

Melodic movement by step (to an adjacent scale degree); a common source of NCT behavior (passing/neighbor patterns).

Resolution (of dissonance)

The move from an unstable/dissonant tone (often an NCT) to a more stable chord tone in a typical, stylistically expected way (often by step).

Passing tone

An NCT that fills the space between two chord tones by step, approached and left by step in the same direction (often connecting chord tones a 3rd apart).

Unaccented passing tone

A passing tone that occurs on a weak part of the beat, creating a mild, brief dissonance within an otherwise stable harmony.

Accented passing tone

A passing tone that occurs on a strong beat, producing more noticeable tension and potentially tempting you to misread it as a chord change.

Neighbor tone

An NCT that steps away from a chord tone and returns to the same chord tone (a brief “detour” that comes back).

Upper neighbor tone

A neighbor tone that is one step above the chord tone (e.g., E–F–E over C major).

Lower neighbor tone

A neighbor tone that is one step below the chord tone (e.g., D–C–D over a V chord in C major).

Return requirement (neighbor tones)

The defining feature that a neighbor tone must return by step to the original chord tone; otherwise the figure may be passing or something else.

Suspension

An accented NCT created when a note is held over from one chord into the next, becomes dissonant, and then resolves downward by step to a chord tone.

Preparation (of a suspension)

The first stage of a suspension: the pitch appears as a consonant chord tone in the initial harmony before being held into the next chord.

Suspension stage (held-over dissonance)

The second stage of a suspension: the prepared pitch is held into the next harmony, where it becomes a dissonant non-chord tone (often tied).

Resolution stage (of a suspension)

The third stage of a suspension: the held dissonant pitch resolves downward by step to a chord tone in the new harmony.

4–3 suspension

A suspension labeled by intervals above the bass: the suspended note forms a 4th above the bass and resolves to a 3rd above the bass.

7–6 suspension

A suspension pattern where the held note forms a 7th above the bass and resolves down to a 6th above the bass.

9–8 suspension

A suspension pattern where the held note forms a 9th above the bass and resolves down to an 8th (octave) above the bass.

Appoggiatura

An accented NCT approached by leap and resolved by step to a chord tone; a “leaning” dissonance that releases into consonance (unlike a suspension, it is not held over).

Phantom chord problem

An analysis mistake where extra chords are invented to explain every melodic note, instead of recognizing many “spicy” notes as embellishing non-chord tones.

Parallel fifths and octaves (part-writing risk)

A voice-leading error where two voices move in similar motion from one perfect fifth/octave to another; inserting passing/neighbor tones can accidentally create these if intervals aren’t re-checked beat-by-beat.