Meaning of Auxiliary Tone in Music
An auxiliary tone, also known as an auxiliary note or neighboring tone, is a melodic ornamental tone that follows a principal tone by a step above or below and then returns to the principal tone. It serves an ornamental function rather than a structural one .
Auxiliary tones are non-chord tones that are approached by step from a chord tone directly above or below it. They often create dissonance with the chord and then resolve back to the same chord tone.
In practice and analysis, neighboring tones can be differentiated based on whether they are higher or lower than the surrounding chord tones. An upper neighboring tone or upper auxiliary note is a neighboring tone that is a step higher than the surrounding chord tones, while a lower neighboring tone or lower auxiliary note is a neighboring tone that is a step lower than the surrounding chord tones.
Overall, auxiliary tones add embellishment and ornamentation to a melody, enhancing its musical expression and complexity.
In part writing, an ornamentation such as a grace note, which is an unaccented, non-harmonic note immediately above or below a principal or harmonic note.
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