Embellishing Tones: Passing Tones and Neighbor Tones

Definition

Embellishing tones are non-chord tones that add decorative or ornamental elements to a melody. Passing tones are embellishing tones that connect two harmonically important notes by stepwise motion, while neighbor tones are embellishing tones that move from a note to its neighboring note and then back.

Analogy

Imagine you're walking down the street and suddenly see a beautiful mural on the side of a building. The mural doesn't serve any practical purpose but adds beauty and interest to your surroundings. Similarly, passing and neighbor tones don't contribute directly to the harmony but enhance the melodic line with their decorative qualities.

Related terms

Suspension: A type of embellishing tone where a note from the previous chord is held over into the next chord, creating a temporary dissonance before resolving.

Appogiatura: An embellishing tone that approaches a main note by leap and resolves by step in the opposite direction.

Escape Tone: An embellishing tone that approaches a main note by step from above or below and resolves by leap in the opposite direction.