1

I'm analysing a passage in 4/4 time where an F major chord is played on beat four. The melodic line consists of four semiquavers: F, E, D, C.

  • F (first semiquaver) is a chord tone and part of the harmony.
  • C (fourth semiquaver) is also a chord tone.

However, I’m unsure how to classify the E and D:

  1. Is E (second semiquaver) an accented or unaccented passing note?
  2. Is D (third semiquaver) an accented or unaccented passing note?

How should these passing notes be correctly classified?

Improve this question
1
  • Please post an image of the passage, and also add the title and composer.
    – Aaron
    Commented Sep 2 at 23:28

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1

It would help to see the actual passage, but you described it clearly enough to sketch out, assuming F E D C is step-wise it should be a descending line...

enter image description here

Above the staff S means "strong beat" and W means "weak beat". You didn't ask about the metrical accent of beats, but it seems generally appropriate to show.

The tones E D are passing tones.

Regarding non-chord tones, accent is usually a matter of whether the note is at the onset of the beat. Accented notes are at the onset of the beat. Other notes will be unaccented. So...

The tones E D are unaccented passing tones.

Some might say the eighth note level of beat subdivision gets some minor accent such that the third sixteenth note is slightly accented compared to the second and fourth sixteenths (S W s W below the sixteenths group.) But I have never seen a non-chord tone chart of examples that actually classifies by accent with that level of detail. I have only seen NCT definitions where accent means placement on the initial down beat. So, you can regard these two passing tones as unaccented. But if you get into a deeper discussion of metrical subdivision and accent the third sixteenth has a slight accent.

Improve this answer
6
  • Accented vs unaccemted depends on the local metrical context rather than whole beats.
    – Aaron
    Commented Sep 3 at 17:57
  • Thank you for your thoughtful answer. And noted I will add the passage in next time
    – Henry Cooper
    Commented Sep 3 at 23:18
  • @Aaron, I'm not sure if I understand your point. I labeled S/W metrical accents on the beats in 4/4. That wasn't part of the OP's case, but I was trying to imply a potential case such as a passing tone on beat two, which would be metrically unaccented, but accented in the on the beat sense. Is that what you meant?
    – Michael Curtis
    Commented Sep 5 at 15:43
  • The non-chord tone charts I have seen are usually in reference to just a beat. Typically with eighth note rhythms. Accented would be the first eighth on the down stroke and the unaccented the second eighth on the up stroke.
    – Michael Curtis
    Commented Sep 5 at 15:45
  • Within a group of four sixteenth notes, the metrical pattern is the same as in a bar of 4/4: the second sixteenth is unaccented, but the third is accented — relative to the notes around it. So the E is unaccented, but the D is accented.
    – Aaron
    Commented Sep 5 at 16:53
0

They are unaccented passing tones. An accented passing tone has a metrical accent, and these notes do not.

Improve this answer
3
  • An accented passing tone need not correspond to a chord change.
    – Aaron
    Commented Sep 3 at 5:26
  • Also, "unscented".
    – Aaron
    Commented Sep 3 at 5:26
  • @Aaron one thing that I've found is that theorists don't necessarily agree on the precise boundaries between corner cases that fall within a definition and those that fall outside. But I also see that I misread one of my sources, so I have removed that from the answer. Thanks also for the correction.
    – phoog
    Commented Sep 3 at 7:48

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.