These are techniques for melodic embellishment and development.
My definitions are paraphrases of Gordon Delamont's properly phrased and
expounded definitions. You should really read his books, specifically
Modern Harmonic Technique.
For our purposes all these definitions are dealing with a musical situation
where a predetermined harmony (read: "chord progression") exists.
1. Appoggiatura: An accented non chord tone that is resolved on a weaker
metrical division. Any non chord tone that falls on a strong beat and then
resolves by step into a chord tone on a weak beat. In 4/4: beats 1 and 3
are usually considered to be "stronger" than beats 2 and 4. The following
example uses 3 consecutive quarter notes and demonstrates an appoggiatura
(APP) under the 3rd of a CMaj chord follwed by the note C:
Eg. D>E>C.
Upper APPs are usually diatonic. Lower APPs are usually chromatic (ie. 1/2
step below).
An APP that does not resolve into it's neighboring CT (chord tone) is
called an "Available Tension" as long as it blends into the chord
vertically (ie. is not an "avoid" note....no time to explain avoid notes
right now).
A non chord tone (NCT) that is placed on a weak beat is either being used
as a Passing Tone (ie. bridging an interval of a third, usually, between 2
CTs or as an unprepared approach note.
Eg. C>D>E ....Here D is a Passing Tone
Eg. G>D>C....Here D is an Unprepared Approach.
2. Auxilliaries: An auxilliary is a decoration of a stationary note with
it's upper (diatonic usually) or lower (chromatic usually) step neighboring
tone (a CT for our purposes). The principal note is struck on a strong
beat. The auxilliary is then struck on a weak beat and the principal note
is then returned to.
Eg. C>D>C. Here D is an auxilliary.
3. Cambiatas: The cambiata (camb) is a decoration of any movement (up or
down) of a 2nd. The target note is leaped past and then returned to by step.
Eg. D>E (an APP by the way) can become D>F>E (where D & F are now eighth
notes).
Most (not all) successful melodies can be analysed by use of these
techniques and other similar devices. In my mind this is all a matter of
emphasis. Learn how to emphasize the notes in the chord (this is rhythmic
awareness primarily) first and then you will find all sorts of ways to
decorate the basic harmonic structure. This is called tension and
resolution and is the "motive" force in music (ie. it makes one feel as if
motion/change is occurring in time).
When you are using superimposition successfully it usually involves
applying these techniques to the secondary tonal centre while the primary
tonal centre is simultaneously being sounded.
Regards
Joey Goldstein
Guitarist/Composer/Bandleader/Teacher
joegold@idirect.com
Check out:
http://www.icom.ca/~freeflt/