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New Released in April 2026
Non Chord Tones: The Notes That Are Not in the Chord
Non chord tones are melody notes that do not belong to the chord underneath. Over a C chord (C E G), a D or an F is a non chord tone. They are not mistakes: they are what makes a melody move, and each type has a name that tells you how it enters and leaves.
No account, no download. The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
Seven types over a C chord
- Passing tone: steps between two chord notes. E, F, G: the F passes.
- Neighbour tone: steps away and back. E, F, E.
- Suspension: a note held over from the previous chord, then resolved down. F held over C, falling to E (a 4-3).
- Appoggiatura: leaps to the non chord tone, then steps down. C up to F, then E.
- Escape tone: steps away, then leaps back to the chord. E, F, then C.
- Anticipation: plays a note of the next chord early.
- Pedal tone: one note held while chords change around it.
The quick test
Ask two questions about the note: how did it arrive (step or leap) and how did it leave (step or leap)? Step in, step out in the same direction is passing; step in, step back is neighbour; leap in, step out is appoggiatura.
Non Chord Tones: The Notes That Are Not in the Chord
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps.
Play the demoWhy chords stay simple
Chord symbols name only the chord notes. A melody full of non chord tones can sit over plain C, F and G, which is why a pianist can accompany many melodies with a handful of triads.
Hear the difference
Hold a C chord in the left hand and play E F G, then E F E, with the right. In ChordRunner every chord is checked by its chord notes only, so a clean C, F or G proves you know the harmony that all those melody notes move around.
The levels in ChordRunner
- Beginner: major, minor, augmented and diminished chords.
- Intermediate: adds sus2 and sus4.
- Advanced: adds 6th, 7th and 9th chords.
- Pro: adds 11th, 13th and altered chords; an adaptive mode adds the next family when you are ready.
Common questions
What are non chord tones?
Melody notes that do not belong to the chord underneath, such as D or F over a C chord. They are named by how they enter and leave: passing, neighbour, suspension and others.
What is the difference between a passing tone and a neighbour tone?
A passing tone keeps going in the same direction between two chord notes; a neighbour tone steps away and comes back to the same note.
What is a 4-3 suspension?
The 4th above the bass is held over from the previous chord and then falls to the 3rd. Over C: F held, then E.
Which instruments work?
A USB MIDI keyboard, detected automatically, or a piano or guitar through the microphone. Everything runs in Chrome or Edge on a computer, tablet or phone.
How is this different from apps where you tap the screen?
Tapping trains your eyes and fingers on glass. Here you press real keys or fret real strings, and the game hears the actual notes, so what you practise is exactly what you will play on your instrument.
Is everything in the demo?
The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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