# Difference between appoggiatura and accented passing note



## maryg8

Hi all, does anyone know what is the difference between appoggiatura and accented passing note?


----------



## Guest

*APPOGGIATURA*: occurs on strong part of the beat; approached by a leap of a 3rd or more and resolved by step. Most often approached by a leap up and resolved by a step down, but any combination of directions is usable.

*ACCENTED PASSING NOTE*: approached by step and left by step in the same direction.


----------



## maryg8

TalkingHead said:


> *APPOGGIATURA*: occurs on strong part of the beat; approached by a leap of a 3rd or more and resolved by step. Most often approached by a leap up and resolved by a step down, but any combination of directions is usable.
> 
> *ACCENTED PASSING NOTE*: approached by step and left by step in the same direction.


Thank you for the reply..but I'm still confused. Isn't accented passing note also occurs on the strong beat? and also approached by a leap of a 3rd?


----------



## Guest

Yes, the accented passing note will fall on the main (strong) part of the beat. The accented passing note by definition cannot be approached via leap, it must be "sandwiched" between two notes.


----------



## maryg8

I guess I kinda get it now. Alright thanks for the help


----------



## Guest

Maybe this can help : 
View attachment Maryg8.docx


----------



## millionrainbows

I think what needs to be emphasized here is the harmonic context. In WIK, we find that _"an appoggiatura is a musical ornament that consists of *an added* *non-chord note in a melody* that is *resolved to the regular note of the chord.*

By putting the non-chord tone on a strong beat, this accents the appoggiatura note, which also delays the appearance of the principal, expected chord note.

The added non-chord note is typically one degree higher or lower than the principal note; and if lower, it may be chromatically raised. An appoggiatura may be added to a melody in a vocal song or in an instrumental work.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Also sprach WIK, _

A passing tone (PT) or passing note is *a nonchord tone prepared by a chord tone a step above or below it *and *resolved by continuing in the same direction stepwise to the next chord tone (which is either part of the same chord or of the next chord in the harmonic progression).

*_If it's accented, it's just on a strong beat.


----------



## Guest

millionrainbows said:


> I think what needs to be emphasized here is the harmonic context. In WIK, we find that _"an appoggiatura is a musical ornament that consists of *an added* *non-chord note in a melody* that is *resolved to the regular note of the chord.*
> 
> By putting the non-chord tone on a strong beat, this accents the appoggiatura note, which also delays the appearance of the principal, expected chord note.
> 
> The added non-chord note is typically one degree higher or lower than the principal note; and if lower, it may be chromatically raised. An appoggiatura may be added to a melody in a vocal song or in an instrumental work._


Nah, too many words, Million !!
The document attachment I provided above your post puts it better 'coz the notes speak louder than the words.


----------



## millionrainbows

Also, "passing tone" or "passing note" are sub-varieties of "nonchord tones."

A nonchord tone (NCT), nonharmonic tone, or embellishing tone is a note in a piece of music or song that is not part of the implied or expressed chord set out by the harmonic framework.


----------



## millionrainbows

TalkingHead said:


> Nah, too many words, Million !!
> The document attachment I provided above your post puts it better 'coz the notes speak louder than the words.


I was writing my post when you posted your attachment. Also, I can't get into your attachment; it reads "locked."

...but your reply (post #8) acknowledges that the attachment (post #6) is better, *not* your initial explanation in posts #2 and #4.
Also, remember that your post #4 was prompted by need for _further clarification which your post #2 apparently did not provide._
...so, in light of these facts, I'm still sitting pretty!:tiphat::lol::tiphat:


----------



## Potiphera

TH, the attachment didn't work for me. 

Can you run that again, thanks.


----------



## Guest

Hello Potiphera, maybe it works better in PDF format:


----------



## millionrainbows

Still, no one else has offered an explanation in words for the OP's question. 
If the OP's ear is good enough, and they actually go to a piano and play the examples, maybe it will work, maybe not.
I still think the chord/non-chord context needs to be explained in words.


----------



## Guest

millionrainbows said:


> Still, no one else has offered an explanation in words for the OP's question.
> If the OP's ear is good enough, *and they actually go to a piano and play the examples*, maybe it will work, maybe not.
> I still think the chord/non-chord context needs to be explained in words.


Many of my students don't play the piano. The solution is very simple: enter the notes into a suitable notation software with playback such as Finale, or MuseScore. Unless you actually "play" (hear) the examples, explanations using just words without aural context are useless.
And yes, "_[my] reply (post #8) acknowledges that the attachment (post #6) is better, *not* [my] initial explanation in posts #2 and #4._
Have a cigar and give yourself a pat on the head.


----------



## millionrainbows

Well, puff, your explanation #2 was still inadequate.


----------



## Guest

And yours is prolix.
Enjoy your cigar!


----------



## caters

Well here is the perspective from me as a pianist. For me, appogiatura has 2 definitions, a music theory definition, and a piano playing definition. Here are the definitions of appogiatura from those perspectives:

*Music Theory definition*: a non-chord tone where you leap up to the nonchord tone and then step away from it, usually downward. Here is an example of both an unaccented one and an accented one, I will also show that you can potentially resolve it upwards, though it isn't typical:









*Pianist's Perspective*: a grace note that typically takes half the length of the note it leads to, so if it is a quarter note it leads to, then both of the notes will become eighth notes in duration. It can also be more than 1 grace note in a row. In that case, the note it leads to is still half of its original length but the length of the appogiatura is divided by the number of grace notes. Here is an example from Mozart's Piano Sonata in A minor:









The fact that these appogiaturas are single sixteenth notes suggests that they be played more like acciaturas which are probably what you think of when you hear someone say grace notes. But acciaturas have a slash through the note stem. Appogiaturas don't have a slash at all.

Accented passing note is pretty easy to understand. It is a non-chord tone where you both arrive and leave by step in the same direction(like any passing note), but the non-chord tone occurs on a strong beat making it accented.


----------



## maryg8

thank you..I've already seen it..it helps


----------

