Passing Tones

Dissonant passing tones may be used on weak beats (i.e. beats 2 & 4) provided that they are approached
and left by step. The notes of approach and resolution (those on the strong beats) must be consonant.
Passing tones may be either ascending or descending.

° œ œ
PT PT PT PT

& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

˙ ˙
¢B ˙
8 7 5 3 3 4 6 5 10 9 6 7 6
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙

Improper usage of passing tones

UNResolved PT UNP & UNR

°
UNPrepared PT
7 X X
œ œ œ
X
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
˙5 4 ˙3 1
¢
5 7 10 8 5 7 6 5
B ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙

Accented PT not allowed in this style Consecutive dissonance not allowed

°
12 X X X

& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ
˙
¢
3 6 4 3 3 4 7 8
B ˙ ˙ ˙
2
Neighbor Tones
Dissonant neighbor tones may be used on weak beats (i.e. beats 2 & 4) provided that they are approached
and left by step. The notes of approach and resolution (the notes on the strong beats) must be consonant.
Neighbor tones may be either upper or lower.

°B ˙
15
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
œ œ œ œ
3 2 5 6 6 7 5 3 5 4 6 7 3
? œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
¢
œ
NT NT NT NT

Improper usage of neighbor tones

UNResolved NT UNP & UNR

°
UNPrepared NT
21 X X X

& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
˙3
¢B ˙
5 4 8 10 5 7 1 6 4 3 5
˙ ˙ ˙
˙

°B ˙
Accented NT not allowed in this style Consecutive dissonance not allowed

˙
26
˙ ˙

? œ œ œX œ œ œX œ
X
œ
¢
5 3 4 5 8 7 7 8
 3
Syncopations
It is permissible to create a syncopation by tying a note from a weak beat into a strong beat
(i.e., from beats 2 to 3 or from beats 4 to 1). (Note: tying from a strong beat to a weak beat would simply
result in a half note and therefore 1:1 counterpoint).

Every tied note MUST begin as a consonant note. If the note is dissonant it may not be tied because it must
be resolved as either a PT or NT.

If the tied note is still consonant after the cantus firmus has changed notes then you are free to move to any
consonant note or dissonant note (provided it is treated as a PT or NT).

° œ ä ä
remains consonant
P
remains consonant

P
consonant consonant
29 NT PT

& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
8 6 5 4 6 8 7 3 5 6 3

¢B ˙
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙

Suspensions

Suspensions result when a tied note becomes dissonant after the cantus firmus has moved. In these cases
the dissonant note which is in the counterpoint voice (not the cantus firmus) must always resolve down
by step to a consonance.

ä
dissonant

° P
consonant resolution to consonance
33
P
& œ œ œ œ œ
3 5 4 3 3
˙
¢B
˙ ˙

Note that in the case of the suspension, the dissonance occurs on the strong beat and is resloved on the weak beat.
4 Every suspension has three parts:
1) note of preparation (consonant; weak beat)
2) note of suspension (dissonant; strong beat)
3) note of resolution (consonant; weak beat)

ä
2) sus. 3) res.

° P P
1) prep.
35

& œ œ œ œ œ œ
8 6 6 8 7 6

¢B ˙ ˙ ˙

Suspensions are named according to the note of suspension and the note of resolution, or more accurately
by their interval sizes.

When the counterpoint voice is above the cantus firmus only three types of suspensions are allowed:

9-8 Suspension 7-6 Suspension 4-3 Suspension

° œ œ œP œP
37

& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
8 10 9 8 6 8 7 6 6 5 4 3

¢B ˙
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙

When the counterpoint voice is below the cantus firmus only two types of suspensions are allowed:

2-3 Suspension 9-10 Suspension

°B ˙
42
˙ ˙ ˙

œ œ
3 1 2 3 8 10 9 10

? œ œ œ
¢ œ œ œ
 5
Suspension chains result when two or more suspensions of the same type are employed successively.

° œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w
7-6 Suspension Chain 4-3 Suspension Chain
46
œ œ œ œ œ
& œ œ œ w
˙5 ˙ ˙ ˙5 3 ˙4 3 ˙4 3 ˙4 3 5
¢B
6 7 6 7 6 7 6 8
˙ w w

°B ˙
2-3 Suspension Chain 9-10 Suspension Chain
53
˙ ˙ ˙ w ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ w

? œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ w
5 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 1 8 10 9 10 9 10 9 10 8

¢
œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ #œ w

Do not attempt a 9-8 suspension chain as it will sound like parallel octaves.

° œ œ œ œ œ
60
œ œ œ w
&

˙c ˙c ˙c
AVOID 5 8 9 8 9 8 9 8 10
˙
¢ B w

Successive suspensions of different types may also be employed.

° œ œ9-8 susœ
63
œ œ
7-6 sus 4-3 sus 7-6 sus

& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w
5 10 8 10 9 8 7 6 4 3 7 6 6

˙ ˙ ˙ w
¢
B ˙ ˙ ˙
6
Improper usage of suspensions

Attempting to tie a Mistaking the dim. 5th Attempting to resolve

°
67
œ œ œ œ
X X X

& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
5 7 4 3 3 5 4 3 8 6 7 8
˙ ˙
¢B
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙