MU207 Applied Music Techniques

Week 1_Lecture 1bii: 26 September 2013

The Accented Passing Note

Introduction
To reiterate Pratt in The Dynamics of Harmony:
Passing notes ‘[...] simply fill in the gap of a third in a musical line’ (p. 75).

Like the UPN, the APN is an unessential note that is inserted between two essential harmony notes
that are a third apart. The difference here is that it occurs ‘on the beat’. This means that the
dissonance it generates sonically with the bass is much more prominent.

TIP: To remember the difference, think:

Accented = Strong  occurs on a strong beat

Unaccented = Weak  occurs on a weak beat

It is important to note that the APN is a little more complex than its unaccented counterpart and
needs careful consideration.

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Formations & Occurrences
Basic Occurrence:
1 An APN can only work if it occurs at the beginning of the beat, so that it forms a strong dissonance
in the chord. This dissonance is resolved using a harmony note (i.e., a note belonging to the chosen
chord at that point).

2 APNs may ascend or descend when in use (only by step, no jumps) and can be applied to any voice
(by voice I mean any particular line written for an instrument/sung voice part).
 It is important to note again here that PNs must be approached and left by step in the
same direction, either ascending or descending. Otherwise, they cannot be termed ‘passing’.

3 APNs can occur in four separate contexts:

i) singularly

ii) in a combined format with another APN (different voice) in either parallel thirds or sixths

iii) It may occur in two separate voices moving in contrary motion. Here, both lines will begin
on the same note and move in opposite directions. They must however begin an octave or
fifteenth/two octaves apart

iv) it may be combined with suspensions to form a triple dissonance over the tonic chord (chord
I) or submediant chord (chord VI) in the progressions V-I or V-VI.
We will look at this in more detail when speaking about suspensions.
 DO NOT MIX APNs & UPNs!

4 When working in a minor key, the sixth degree of the scale as an APN is always raised by a
semitone; in addition, the seventh degree of the scale as an APN is always lowered by a semitone.
This is the case regardless of direction:

The B here , being the LN in a minor

scale, is automatically sharpened – it
is not an APN so the above rule does
not apply

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Rhythmic Breakdown of the UPN
1 If the metre of the composition is ‘simple’, the APN may be either a half or a quarter of the beat
value, but it must be the first half:

2 If, however, the metre is ‘compound’, the APN should be the first third or two thirds of a dotted
beat or triplet:
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Weaknesses with the APN
Unfortunately, several issues arise with the APN because of the fact that it creates a dissonance at
the beginning of a chord. These are:

A) The use of the APN may result in consecutive octaves or fifths – do not use in this instance

B) In terms of consecutive octaves, if they already exist between parts in your harmony,
including an APN will not fix the problem; however, in terms of consecutive fifths, the
insertion of an APN will address the issue:

Consecutive Octaves will not be fixed using an APN;

Consecutive Fifths will be fixed using an APN;

C) The inclusion of an APN may produce a vertical minor second (or its compound minor ninth)
and this is not desirable; It is important to mention here that this can also happen with the
UPN:
 Rearrange to Fix!

The vertical minor 2nd is between the E & F here.

In a major key, the minor second could occur between notes 3-4 and 7-8 (the semitones); in
a minor key, this could occur between notes 2-3 and 7-8.
By rearranging the notes of the chord, this can be eliminated (see above)

Be careful not to place the dissonant APN against the note of resolution, i.e., the resolution
of the APN is already in another part/voice, except when this is in the bass:

This is allowed (C in bass is ok)

A way around this is to rearrange the chord, perhaps using an inversion so that nothing is
doubled – this results in the chord having three notes.

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Use in the Bass / Cello / lowest instrument line
1. The APN may occur in the bassline between the Root and the First Inversion of the same
chord, but never from weak-to-strong
 2. The APN may also occur in the bassline in a descending fashion so long as it concludes on a
first inversion chord

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Melodic/Harmonic Considerations
a) A 4-3 APN on a root position chord is only effective when the fifth of the chord is also
present:

b) When the notes 5, 7, 8 follow consecutively in a part, you may use the following
melodic/harmonic formula:
5 – 6[APN]7 – 8
V – V7d – Ib (we mentioned in the lecture on the dom7 that it can only come before Ib)
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B Dignam 26.09.13