What is suspension?

Question

What is suspension?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

A suspension is an accented embellishing tone: a nonchord tone that creates a dissonance by holding a previous chord tone over into the next chord and then resolving downward by step.

1. Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Nonchord (embellishing) tones: notes not belonging to the underlying harmony.
- Suspension pattern: preparation (consonance), suspension (the same pitch held into the next chord, producing dissonance), resolution (downward step to a consonance).
- Accented vs. unaccented: an accented nonchord tone occurs on a metrically strong beat and is thereby emphasized; unaccented ones occur on weak beats.
- Common suspension types: 4–3, 7–6, 9–8, where the numbers indicate intervals above the bass before and after resolution.

2. Step-by-step reasoning
- Begin with a consonant note that belongs to chord A (preparation).
- The voice sustains that pitch while the harmony changes to chord B; the sustained pitch now clashes with chord B (suspension).
- On the next step (usually the next beat), the suspended pitch resolves down by a step into a chord tone of chord B (resolution).
- Because the dissonant pitch appears on the strong beat (where the new harmony is heard), it is an accented embellishing tone.

3. Calculations/intermediate steps
- Example: In a 4–3 suspension over a bass, soprano holds an F (a 4th above the bass) when the harmony changes; this F becomes dissonant against the new chord and then resolves down to E (a 3rd above the bass). The held F = preparation → suspension (dissonant on the strong beat) → resolution (step down to E).

4. Why the correct answer is correct
- The defining features of a suspension (holding a previous chord tone into the new harmony and resolving down by step on a strong beat) make it an accented embellishing tone. The accent comes from its occurrence on the strong beat, and it functions as an embellishment of the harmony.

5. Why the other options are incorrect
- "An unaccented embellishing tone": describes passing or neighbor tones that occur on weak beats; suspensions are accented.
- "A type of chordal skip": suspensions are created by holding a tone, not by skipping; they involve static retention and stepwise resolution, not leaps.
- "A type of passing tone": passing tones are approached and left by step and typically occur on weak beats; suspensions are held from the previous chord and resolve downward, not passed through.

6. Conclusion
This explanation confirms the correct answer: an accented embellishing tone.

What is suspension? Single choice

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