Examples of Non-Chord Tones
Dr. B Music Theory
Analyse this score, finding non-chord tones
%%no_player
Q:1/4=30
M:3/4
L:1/4
%%piano2+2
K:F
[V:S] (d e) f | (g c) B | (A d) B | G3 | F3 |]
[V:A] (F G) A | (G/F/ G) E | (C B,) F | (F E/D/ E) | C3 |]
[V:T] (B,3/2 G,/) C | C2 G, | F,2 D | (G, C B,) | A,3 |]
[V:B] B,/ A,/G, F, | (E,/D,/ E,) C, | F, B,,2 | (C,/ B,,/) C,2 | F,,3 |]
%%player_bottom
Q:1/4=30
M:3/4
L:1/4
%%chorusCD
K:F
[V:C] "Bb"x "A°6"x "F"x | "C/E"x2 "C7"x | "F"x "Bb"x2 | "C"x2 "C7"x | "F"x3 |]
[V:D] "IV"x "vii°6"x "I"x | "V6"x2 "V7"x | "I"x "IV"x2 | "V"x2 "V7"x | "I"x3 |]
[V:S] (d e) f | (g c) B | (A d) B | G3 | F3 |]
[V:A] (F G) A | (G/"_n"!green!F/ G) E | (C B,) F | ("_sus"!green!F E/"_n"!green!D/ E) | C3 |]
[V:T] (B,3/2 G,/) C | C2 G, | F,2 D | (G, C B,) | A,3 |]
[V:B] B,/"_p"!green!A,/G,F,| (E,/"_n"!green!D,/ E,) C, | F, B,,2 | (C,/"_n"!green!B,,/) C,2 | F,,3 |]
Adding a suspension every where it's possible
%%player_no_voice
Q:1/4=40
L:1/4
%%piano2+2
K:Bm
[V:S] c | B c | ^A |
[V:A] F | D E | C |
[V:T] x | x x | x |
[V:B] ^A, | B, E, | F, |
w: V6 i ii°6 V
To find a good place for suspension, you look for a step down.
%%player_no_voice
%%piano2+2D
Q:1/4=40
L:1/4
K:Bm
[V:D] x | "9"x/"8"x/ x | x |
[V:S] c- | -"sus"!green!c/B/ c | ^A |
[V:A] F | D E | C |
[V:T] x, | x x | x |
[V:B] ^A, | B, E, | F, |
w: V6 i ii°6 V
Next score
%%piano2+2
M:3/4
Q:1/4=80
L:1/4
K:A
[V:S] d2 c | B2 e |
[V:A] A2 A | G2 A |
[V:T] D2 E | E3 |
[V:B] F,2 A, | E,2 C, |
w: IV6 I V I6
%%piano2+2D
M:3/4
Q:1/4=80
L:1/4
K:A
[V:D] x2 "4"x/"3"x/ | "6"x "5"x x |
[V:S] d2 !green!d/c/ | !green!c B e |
[V:A] A2 A | "_4"!green!A "_3"G A |
[V:T] D2 E | E3 |
[V:B] F,2 A, | E,2 C, |
w: IV6 I V I6
Fill this score using:
- Passing tone: on weak beat, prepare by step → resolve by step in same direction.
- Neighbor tone: on weak beat, prepare by step → resolve by step in opposite direction.
- Suspension: on strong beat, prepare by common tone → resolve by step down.
- Retardation: on strong beat, prepare by common tone → resolve by step up.
%%player_bottom
%%piano2+2D
M:C
Q:1/4=40
L:1/4
K:Bb
[V:D] "I"x | "I6"x "I"x "V"x "vi"x | "ii6"x "V"x "I"x2 |"I"x "IV6"x "V6"x "I"x | "ii65"x "V"x "I"x |]
[V:S] B | B d c B | c c d B | d e f d | c2 B |]
[V:A] F | F B A G | G F F F | B B c B | B A F |]
[V:T] D | B, F F D | C A, B, D | F G F F | G F D |]
[V:B] B,, | D, B,, F, G, | E, F, B,, B,, | B, G, A, B, | E, F, B,, |]
Possible passing tone
For placement, look for 3th.
%%player_bottom
%%chorusD
M:C
Q:1/4=40
L:1/4
K:Bb
[V:D] "I"x | "I6"x "I"x "V"x "vi"x | "ii6"x "V"x "I"x2 |"I"x "IV6"x "V6"x "I"x | "ii65"x "V"x "I"x |]
[V:S] B | B/!green!c/ d c B | c c d/!green!c/ B/!green!c/ | d e f/!green!e/ d | c2 B |]
[V:A] F | F B A G | G F F F | B B c B | B A/!green!G/ F |]
[V:T] D/!green!C/ | B, F F/!green!E/ D | C/!green!B,/ A, B,/!green!C/ D/!green!E/ | F G F F | G F/!green!E/ D |]
[V:B] B,,/!green!C,/ | D,/!green!C,/ B,, F, G,/!green!F,/ | E, F, B,, B,, | B, G, A, B, | E, F, B,, |]
Possible neighbor tone
For placement, look for common tone.
%%player_bottom
%%chorusD
M:C
Q:1/4=40
L:1/4
K:Bb
[V:D] "I"x | "I6"x "I"x "V"x "vi"x | "ii6"x "V"x "I"x2 |"I"x "IV6"x "V6"x "I"x | "ii65"x "V"x "I"x |]
[V:S] B | B d c B | c c d B | d e f d | c2 B |]
[V:A] F | F B A G | G F F F | B B c B | B A F |]
[V:T] D | B, F F D | C A, B, D | F G F F | G F D |]
[V:B] B,, | D, B,, F, G, | E, F, B,, B,, | B, G, A, B, | E, F, B,, |]
Possible suspension
For placement, look for step down.
%%player_bottom
%%chorusD
M:C
Q:1/4=40
L:1/4
K:Bb
[V:D] "I"x | "I6"x "I"x "V"x "vi"x | "ii6"x "V"x "I"x2 |"I"x "IV6"x "V6"x "I"x | "ii65"x "V"x "I"x |]
[V:S] B | B d !green!d/c/ B | c c !green!c/d/ B | d e f d | !green!d/c/-c !green!c/B/ |]
[V:A] F | F B !green!B/A/ !green!A/G/ | G !green!G/F/ F F | B B c !green!c/B/ | B !green!B/A/ F |]
[V:T] D | B, F F D | C A, B, D | F G !green!G/F/ F | G !green!G/F/ D |]
[V:B] B,, | D, B,, F, G, | E, F, B,, B,, | B, G, A, B, | E, F, B,, |]
Possible Retardation
For placement, look for step up.
%%player_bottom
%%chorusD
M:C
Q:1/4=40
L:1/4
K:Bb
[V:D] "I"x | "I6"x "I"x "V"x "vi"x | "ii6"x "V"x "I"x2 |"I"x "IV6"x "V6"x "I"x | "ii65"x "V"x "I"x |]
[V:S] B | B d c B | !green!B/c/ c !green!c/d/ B | d !green!d/e/ !green!e/f/ d | c2 B |]
[V:A] F | F B A G | G F F F | B B !green!B/c/ B | B A F |]
[V:T] D | B, F F D | C A, !green!A,/B,/ D | F !green!F/G/ F F | !green!F/G/ F D |]
[V:B] B,, | D, B,, F, !green!F,/G,/ | E, !green!E,/F,/ B,, B,, | B, G, !green!G,/A,/ !green!A,/B,/ | E, F, B,, |]
All together
%%player_bottom
%%chorusN
M:C
Q:1/4=40
L:1/4
K:Bb
[V:S] B | B/"_p"!green!c/ d c B | c/"N"!green!d/ c "R"!green!c/d/ B | d e "R"!green!e/f/ d | c2 "S"!green!c/B/ |]
[V:A] F | F B A G | G F F F | B/"_N"!green!A/ B c B | B A F |]
[V:T] D | B, F F D | C A, B, D | F G F F | G F D |]
[V:B] B,,/"p"!green!C,/ | D, B,, F, G,/"p"!green!F,/ | E, F, B,, B,, | B, G, A, B, | E, F, B,, |]
[V:N] "_I"x | "_I6"x "_I"x "_V"x "_vi"x | "_ii6"x "_V"x "_I"x2 | "_I"x "_IV6"x "_V6"x "_I"x | "_ii65"x "_V"x "_I"x |]
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