passing-note

A musician plays a passing-note in a simple melody.

Definition

1. Noun (Music):
   • A "passing-note" (also spelled "passing note") is a melodic note that is not part of the underlying harmony but connects two chord tones by stepwise motion. It is typically a non-chord tone that occurs on an unaccented beat and serves to create smooth melodic movement between more stable notes.

Usage Examples

• (A non-harmonic note linking two chord tones.)
• (A note that does not belong to the harmony but connects chord tones.)

Advanced Usage

• "accented passing-note": a passing-note that occurs on a strong beat rather than a weak beat, creating a more dissonant effect.

  • The accented passing-note in the melody created a striking tension before resolving to the chord tone. (A passing-note placed on a strong beat.)

• "double passing-note": two consecutive passing-notes that move between two chord tones.

  • The double passing-note in the violin part allowed for a graceful ascent from the third to the fifth of the scale. (Two non-chord tones in a row connecting chord tones.)

Variants and Related Words

• Passing tone (n): an alternative term for "passing-note", especially in music theory.

  • The passing tone added chromatic colour to the otherwise diatonic melody. (Another name for a passing-note.)

• Non-chord tone (n): a broader category that includes passing-notes, appoggiaturas, and other notes not part of the harmony.

  • A passing-note is a specific type of non-chord tone. (A general term for notes outside the chord.)

Synonyms

• Stepwise auxiliary: a note that moves by step between two chord tones (technical synonym).
• Melodic bridge note: a descriptive term for a note that connects harmonic points in a melody.

Related Idioms (Music Theory Context)

• "Passing through": a phrase used to describe the function of a passing-note, as it moves through the scale.
  • The melody passes through the passing-note before reaching the target chord tone. (The note serves as a transitional element.)