Grace Note

An ornamental note usually played with a very light and quick motion on or right before the beat, leading immediately to the following note. Grace notes are often used in classical music. Two of the most common grace notes are: a whole step above the following notes (e.g., D down to C), and a half step below the following note (e.g., B up to C). In written music, the grace note is usually written in a smaller size than the other notes. Grace notes are one of a variety of notes with the Italian name appoggiatura, meaning non-harmonic tones of varying length that subsequently resolve to the harmony note.