Non-Chord Tones: Passing, Neighbor, Suspension, Appoggiatura
Not every note in a melody belongs to the chord underneath it — and that's exactly what gives a line its color. Meet the four essential non-chord tones.
Passing tone
A passing tone fills the gap between two chord tones with smooth, stepwise motion. If a melody moves from C up to E over a C chord, a passing tone on D connects them — stepping through the space instead of leaping across it.
Neighbor tone
A neighbor tone steps away from a chord tone and then steps right back to that same note. It decorates a chord tone without actually going anywhere — think of it as a quick detour that returns exactly where it started.
Suspension
A suspension holds a note over from the previous chord into the next one, where it now clashes with the new harmony. That held-over dissonance then resolves down by step into a chord tone of the new chord. Suspensions are prized for the moment of "held breath" they create right before they resolve.
Appoggiatura
An appoggiatura is a leap to a non-chord tone that lands on a strong beat, then resolves down by step. The combination of an accented leap followed by a graceful step down gives it a distinctive "leaning" quality — its name literally means "to lean" in Italian.
Two more worth knowing: escape tone and anticipation
An escape tone steps away from a chord tone but then leaps (rather than steps) to the next chord tone — almost the mirror image of an appoggiatura. An anticipation jumps early to a note of the upcoming chord before the harmony has actually changed, arriving "ahead of schedule."
Common questions
What is a passing tone?
A passing tone fills the gap between two chord tones with stepwise motion, connecting them smoothly instead of jumping between them.
What is a neighbor tone?
A neighbor tone steps away from a chord tone and then steps right back to that same chord tone, decorating it without going anywhere.
What is a suspension?
A suspension holds a chord tone over into a new chord where it becomes dissonant, then resolves down by step into a chord tone of the new harmony.
What is an appoggiatura?
A leap to a non-chord tone on a strong beat, which then resolves down by step — the accented leap gives it a distinctive "leaning" quality.
Spot non-chord tones by ear
Melody Monkey's Ear Training tool sharpens your ability to hear dissonance and resolution in real time.
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