EPISODE 135 HARMONIC PROGRESSION PT. 12 NON CHORD TONES
HOST- Jeremy Burns, Matthew Scott Phillips
GENRE- Ear Training
DURATION- 79:42
BUMPER MUSIC-"Passing Time With Passing Tones" (Area 47)
ANNOUNCER- Mike Cunliffe
LISTEN
DESCRIPTION
Passing tones, appoggiaturas, pedal tones and suspensions are just a few of the non chord tones we discussed in Ep. 28.
Now we will take a little more time training our ears to recognize them. After all that, we will play examples and test our ability to identify them in a chord progression. Let's listen!
KEYWORDS
PASSING TONE- A non chord tone that fills in the space between two chord tones (often a 3rd apart).
NEIGHBOR TONE- Leaves a note and returns back to the same note.
ESCAPE TONE- This non chord tone is approached by a STEP and left by a LEAP.
APPOGIATURA- This non chord tone is approached by a LEAP and left by a STEP.
ANTICIPATION- This note belongs to the chord to follow.
SUSPENSION- This note remains from the previous chord while all the others move to the following chord.
PEDAL TONE- Also known as PEDAL POINT, this note is sustained throughout a passage of harmonic progression.
EXAMPLES
The following example reflects the opening example on episode 135.
LET'S LISTEN
Let's take four listens to identify this chord progression.
Below is a good strategy on how to use your listens wisely for each time the progression is played.
1st LISTEN- THE BASS
Use this listen to focus on the bass line.
We are in F major. We hear the following scale steps in the bass, beginning with scale degree 1 (F):
1 - 4 - 5 - 1
Notate it!
2nd LISTEN-THE HIGHEST NOTE
Use this listen to focus on the melody or the soprano voice.
When you hear that note, try to identify what scale degree it is and where it goes from there.
Sometimes singing, from the identified note down to the the tonic, can help zero in on what scale degree it is. In this case, we hear that scale degree 3 begins the following progression in the highest voice:
3 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1
Notate it!
3rd LISTEN-THE THEORY BRAIN
Something harmonic is coming together! By now we should have a chord progression in mind. If we use our theory brain we can put the pieces together. Here's the process:
-1st CHORD- Has two notes from the tonic chord (F and A) and sounds like a major chord. The tonic is in the bass as well. Let's call it the tonic chord (I).
-2nd CHORD- Both notes in the bass and soprano are scale degree 4 (Bb). Of the three chords in the major key (I, IV and V), only one contains scale degree 4..the IV. Let's call this a IV chord.
-3rd CHORD- This chord is major. The two notes we have identified are C and G (scale degrees 1 and 5). The chord that follows gives us a sense of resolution. Let's call this a V chord.
-4th CHORD- Finally, we have a major chord that includes scale degree 1 in the bass and soprano (F). We feel resolution when we hear this chord. This must be the I chord.
4th LISTEN-NON CHORD TONE
With all 4 voices filled in, let's look at this dissonance in beat 4 of measure 1. We have a quarter note that is an A note. We must observe the surrounding notes to really know what's going on. The previous note in that voice was a Bb that passes through this A to get to the following note (G). Moving from one chord tone to another this PASSING TONE makes the progression a bit more colorful.
NOW LISTEN AS WE APPLY THIS APPROACH TO THE NEXT EXAMPLES
THINGS TO REMEMBER
-Non chord tones are usually pretty easy to hear because they are dissonances that often occur between, or within, otherwise consonant harmonies. Also certain NCT's can stick out because they occur on weak beats.
-When trying to determine which scale degree is in the highest voice, try singing down the scale from that note. If you feel you've reached the TONIC on the 3rd note down, that note is the 3rd. If you can keep going, perhaps not.
-Try practicing progressions using these chords, using CHORALE or KEYBOARD styles.
-Don't neglect the MINOR keys while working on these progressions.
-Try to get good at singing "in your head" or to your self. When you hear a chord, try to arpeggiate the notes in your head.
-Try to get good at identifying the bass lines when listening to music. These will be the first that you will want to identify when taking your listening exams.
-Budget your listens wisely. First identify the lowest notes. Second, identify the highest notes. Use the third listen to engage your theory brain and then the fourth to confirm.
