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Neighbour Notes Whereas the passing motion (or linear progression) progresses from one consonant note of the harmonic unit to another, the neighbour note returns to the initial note. In the first of these examples, the top line moves from C to its neighbour note D, and back again - the dissonant D therefore prolongs the repetion of C that happens either side of it. Neighbour notes can prolong either the first, third or fifth degree of a triad (in the case of C major, C, E or G). They must be no more than a major second away from the note being prolonged - hence the name.
 Note the way that Schenkerian analyses are notated: there are no stems on the noteheads and a slur spans the linear unit or diminution in question. Stems, beams and minim noteheads are used at other stages of an analysis (see Notation Guide) Neighbour notes can also be incomplete - with the first or last notes from the above examples missed out. |
