High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A nonchord tone or nonharmonic tone is a note in a piece of music which is not a part of the implied harmony that is described by the other notes sounding at the time. Similarly a chord tone is a note which is a part of the current chord (see: factor (chord)). Nonchord tones are most often discussed in the context of music of the common practice period, but can be used in analysis of other types of tonal music as well.