Approach Notes and Other Embellishments

Approach notes have a linear melodic purpose. They are short-duration notes that move by step to chord tones or tensions. (Chord tones and tensions have a verticalmelodic purpose, helping to provide focal points that are in agreement with the underlying harmony.)

Approach notes occur in melodic patterns as:1. passing tones (PT), which move stepwise between two notes of different pitch

2. neighbor tones (NT), which leave and return to the same note in stepwise motion or proceed directly to a target note without preparation

3. indirect resolution (IR), which consists of two notes of short and equal durationthat approach the target note by step from above and below

4. double chromatic approach (DCHR), which consists of two notes of short and equal duration that move by consecutive half steps to a target note

Other embellishments include escape tones (ET), which interrupt the upward or downward flow of a melody by moving in the opposite direction by step and then leaping to catch up.

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ET ET ET

DCHR DCHR

PT PT PT

Prepared

NT NT NT

Unprepared

NT NT

IR IR

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Anticipation and Delayed Attack

Rhythmic anticipation (A) occurs when an on-the-beat note is attacked a half beat or awhole beat early. If a chord change is involved, the chord is also anticipated.

A delayed attack (DA) occurs when an on-the-beat note is attacked a half beat or awhole beat late. If a chord change is involved, the chord is also delayed.

Guide Tones

Guide tones are chord tones or tensions that are voice led from one chord to a newchord tone or tension on a subsequent chord by common tone or stepwise motion. The 1 and 5 of a chord are weak guide tones because they duplicate the bass line. The 3 and7 of a chord are the most harmonically definitive guide tones. Tensions, especially chromatically altered tensions, are the most dissonant guide tones and therefore the most unstable and dramatic.

The following example shows all of the voice-leading choices when moving from agiven note in a D7 chord to G7. ( ! = usual voice leading; " = less common )

The choice of available tensions is often aided by designated tensions in the chord symbol. In any case, you must use your ears!

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T9

D7 to

7

G7

T13 T 13 5 T11

D7 to G7

T9 T 9 1 7

5

D7 to

3

G7

T 9 T9 T 9 1 7

D7 to

5

G7

5 3 9

D7Given

1

to G7Voice Leading Choices

T13 T 13 5 T 5

D7Given

3

to G7Voice Leading Choices

1 7 T13 T 13

A7 D7 E Maj7 A Maj7( 11)

A A A

G7 C7 F6 B 7 A7 D7( 9)

DA DA DA

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FURTHER REFINEMENTS

1. Within the duration of a chord, a leap to another guide tone may occur before moving on.

2. If adjacent chords share a guide tone, you can leap between chords.

3. Compound lines are possible when two sets of guide tones play tag through a progression.

A thorough discussion of guide tone usage appears later in the book.

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G7 C7 FMaj7

leap leap

G7 C7 FMaj7 B Maj7

leap leap

A7 D7 GMaj7 CMaj7

F 7 B7 E

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