Non-harmonic tones

in the sixteenth-century style

Passing tones (P) will be used differently according to the note values they use.
Quarter-note passing tones must pass against half-notes or longer note
values and they only occur on weak beats （弱拍）. They must move by
step（級進）, but they may move either upwards or downwards.
Eighth-note passing tones must pass against a quarter-note or longer note
value, but they may be either accented or unaccented as follows
Unaccented PT (P) occur on any afterbeat（後半拍）and must move by
step （級進）, but they may move upwards or downwards.
Accented PT (APT) must occur on beat 2 or 4（弱拍上）and always
move downwards by step（級進下⾏）. The accented passing
tone should be the first note of a pair of eighth-notes.
Neighbor tones (N) may occur on any afterbeat（後半拍）, they must be
eighth-notes and they must move by step（級進）. Normally, only the lower
neighbor is used （不要用上⾏的 N）.
Anticipations (ANT) are eighth-notes that always occur on the afterbeats of 1
or 3 （強拍的後半拍）and they must be approached by downward step
（級進下⾏到 ANT的音）. The ANT must then be repeated on the next
beat（先級進下⾏到後半拍的ANT，然後在下個拍點上重複該 ANT 的音）.
Anticipations are actually dissonant portamentos. Therefore one can say that
all ANTs are portamentos, but not all portamentos are ANTs.

Suspensions (S) fall on beats 1 or 3（強拍）, always resolve downwards by step

（級進下⾏地解決）and may be “tied into”. All suspensions have 3 parts:

Preparation Suspension Resolution

（準備－諧和） （掛留－不諧和） （解決－諧和）
beat 2 0r 4 beat 1 or 3 beat 2 0r 4

q 掛留音常用連結線但是
不⼀定用到連接線 q q

Common suspensions:
7-6 (upper voice) and its inversion 2-3 (lower voice) are very common in
16th Century music. The 4-3 suspension is especially common in 3-voice
compositions, but you may also use it in two-voice counterpoint.

Do not use 9-8 or 2-1 suspensions in two-voice counterpoint because they

sound too hollow and empty when only two voices are used.

Cambiata figures are used as follows: the first and third notes must be
consonant. The second and fourth notes may either be dissonant or
consonant. If the second note is dissonant, that note will act as an unusual
“escape” tone (e) — not the normal escape tone used in harmony class! If the
fourth note is dissonant, that note must be used as a proper passing tone.
Notes by Paul SanGregory (rev. 9/17), based on information found in
A Practical Approach to Sixteenth-Century Counterpoint, by Robert Gauldin. 1/2
 Quarter-note passing tones = P or PT （經過音）

!
Eighth-note passing tones
(unaccented passing tone = P or PT)

(accented passing tone = APT)

Neighbor tones = N （鄰音）

(auxiliary tones)

Dissonant Anticipation = ANT （先現音）

Suspension = S or SUS （掛留音）

Cambiata
(The cambiata is not always dissonant.)

Notes by Paul SanGregory (rev. 9/17), based on information found in

A Practical Approach to Sixteenth-Century Counterpoint, by Robert Gauldin. 2/2