What embellishing tones are
Embellishing tones, also called non-chord tones or non-harmonic tones, are notes that do not belong to the chord sounding at that moment. They add movement, tension and interest to a melody. Most of them are heard as tension that then resolves to a note that fits the chord, usually by step.
The examples below use C major, and the chord patterns in good chord progressions to know give you plenty of harmonies to try them over. Imagine a C major chord (C, E, G) sounding underneath.
Passing tones
A passing tone connects two different chord tones by moving stepwise in one direction. For example, over a C chord the melody might go E, D, C. The D is not in the chord, but it links E and C. Passing tones often fall on weak beats, though they can also land on strong beats, in which case they are called accented passing tones.
Neighbor tones
A neighbor tone steps away from a chord tone and then returns to the same note. A melody of E, F, E uses F as an upper neighbor. A melody of E, D, E uses D as a lower neighbor. Think of it as a small decoration around one note.
Appoggiatura and escape tone
An appoggiatura is a non-chord tone that arrives on a strong beat, usually approached by leap and resolved by step in the opposite direction. It sounds leaning and expressive. An escape tone (sometimes called an echappee) is approached by step and left by a leap, usually in the opposite direction. Terminology varies a little between textbooks, so check which definitions your course or book uses.
Suspension and retardation
A suspension happens when a note from the previous chord is held over into the new chord, creating a clash, and then resolves downward by step. A retardation is similar, but the held note resolves upward by step. Suspensions are often labeled by the intervals involved, such as 4-3, where the fourth above the bass resolves to a third. Piano players meet the same idea in chords such as the Dsus2 chord on piano.
Anticipation
An anticipation is a note that arrives early: it belongs to the next chord but is sounded before that chord changes. It is often found at cadences, where a melody note is heard slightly ahead of the harmony.
Pedal tone
A pedal tone is a note, often in the bass, that is held or repeated while the chords above it change. The held note may clash with some chords and fit others, which creates tension that resolves when the harmony returns to agree with it. Do not confuse this with the sustain pedal on a piano, although the names are related by the idea of sustaining a sound.
How to identify embellishing tones
- Work out the chord in the measure.
- Mark the melody notes that are not in that chord.
- Look at how each one is approached and left: by step or leap, in the same or opposite direction.
- Check whether it falls on a strong or weak beat.
These answers narrow down which type it is. If a note does not fit any category cleanly, it may be part of a more complex harmony, or the chord label may need rethinking.
Using them in your own music
Take a simple melody made only of chord tones and add passing and neighbor tones. It will start to sound more fluid and more melodic. Embellishing tones are also useful when improvising over chord loops; see improvisation exercises for music. For writing exercises that use these decorations, see music composition ideas.
Because many of these tones create brief tension, how you shape them with touch matters. Often a little more weight on the dissonant note and a relaxed resolution sounds natural, which ties into the importance of dynamics in music.