Preparation (music)

In tonal music, a preparation is the consonant pitch or chord which precedes a dissonant nonharmonic tone. The move from a dissonance to a consonance constitutes a resolution.

In the following example, the C major chord on the left is a preparation which precedes a nonharmonic tone that serves as an anticipation (center, marked in red) to the G major harmony on the right. This harmony resolves the preceding dissonance:

v t e Consonance and dissonance
Argument Avoid note Beating Cadence Chord Interval Musical note Nonchord tone Cambiata Changing tones Pedal point Preparation Resolution Spectra
Consonances	Unison Minor third Major third Perfect fourth Perfect fifth Minor sixth Major sixth Octave
Dissonances	Minor second Major second Tritone Minor seventh Major seventh
List of musical intervals