In traditional voice leading, which term describes a tone that is approached by step and left by leap in the opposite direction?

• A. Escape tone
• B. Passing tone
• C. Neighbor tone
• D. Suspension

Answer: (A)

Escape tone is a nonharmonic tone that fits this pattern: the note is approached by step from the previous chord tone and then left by a leap in the opposite direction to land on a chord tone of the next harmony. This brief detour adds color between stable tones. For example, if the soprano moves from C to B by step, and then leaps up to D to reach the next chord tone, the B is the escape tone. The important idea is stepwise approach followed by a leap away in the opposite direction, which sets it apart from a passing tone (left by step in the same direction), a neighbor tone (left by step in the opposite direction without a leap), and a suspension (held from the previous chord and resolved by step).