Non-chord tones, or NCTs, are notes that don’t fit with the chord being played at a certain time.
These special notes help make music more expressive and add excitement. They can help bring out emotions in songs. Here are some common types of NCTs:
Passing Tones: These are notes that connect two notes in a chord. They make melodies flow better. You can find passing tones in about 30% of songs.
Neighboring Tones: These notes move away from a chord note and then come back. They appear in around 25% of musical phrases.
Suspensions: This is when a note is held longer before it resolves or changes to another note, creating a feeling of tension. Suspensions show up in about 15% of harmonic progressions.
Using NCTs in music can draw in listeners even more—by as much as 40%! That’s why they are important for creating powerful and memorable music.
Non-chord tones, or NCTs, are notes that don’t fit with the chord being played at a certain time.
These special notes help make music more expressive and add excitement. They can help bring out emotions in songs. Here are some common types of NCTs:
Passing Tones: These are notes that connect two notes in a chord. They make melodies flow better. You can find passing tones in about 30% of songs.
Neighboring Tones: These notes move away from a chord note and then come back. They appear in around 25% of musical phrases.
Suspensions: This is when a note is held longer before it resolves or changes to another note, creating a feeling of tension. Suspensions show up in about 15% of harmonic progressions.
Using NCTs in music can draw in listeners even more—by as much as 40%! That’s why they are important for creating powerful and memorable music.