Bass Foundational Shift: How a Single Bass Note Alters Your Chord Progressions
Discovering New Dimensions in Music: The Power of Pedal Points
Pedal points, a fascinating concept in music theory, offer a unique approach to composing and playing music. This technique, often used in the bass, sustains a single note while changing harmonies create intriguing tension and resolution.
By presenting different sound combinations over a single sustained note, pedal points offer note combinations that may not be found in conventional chord progressions. This can lead to the introduction of completely new chords into music progressions, including chords called inversions, where the notes from a chord are presented in the bass note.
Pedal points are an effective tool for sustaining tension and prolonging harmony in songs, particularly in instrumental bridges or long, meandering verses. They can also serve to release tension in music, as demonstrated in "Jump" by Van Halen.
In traditional tonal music, pedal points often emphasize the tonic (first scale degree) or dominant (fifth scale degree), reinforcing the tonal center and providing structural coherence. They can generate drama, intensity, and expectation by sustaining a note that may become dissonant against changing chords, creating tension that resolves when harmony realigns with the pedal tone.
Pedal points can be used as a seamless transitional tool when borrowing chords from parallel keys. For instance, if transitioning from C Major to C Minor, pedaling on a low C note can help avoid an abrupt shift.
When placed in voices other than the bass, pedal points are referred to as inverted pedal points, expanding compositional possibilities.
Pedal points originated from organ music, where the organist’s feet sustain notes on the pedal keyboard, allowing simultaneous manual play of higher melodies while holding the pedal tone. Today, they are extensively employed in classical music and beneficial for conveying emotional structure in compositions.
Examples of the use of pedal points can be found in classical forms like fugues and toccatas, where they provide foundational stability and dramatic tension. Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 is a prime example, with a pedal tone underscoring dominant or tonic harmonies while melodic activity occurs above.
In the realm of modern music, pedal points can be found in songs like "Haiti" by Arcade Fire and "Wonderwall" by Oasis.
In conclusion, pedal points are compositional devices useful for anchoring harmony, building musical tension, and emphasizing key tonal centers. They are a powerful tool for musicians seeking to add intrigue and emotion to their songs, particularly to add tension to the music.
For more information on inversions, the fundamental concept behind pedal points, visit this link.
Patrick McGuire, a musician, writer, and educator, is a notable advocate of pedal points. Known by his stage name Straight White Teeth, he has a great affinity for dogs and putting his hands in his pockets. In the key of C Major, pedaling on a low bass note will provide multiple options to choose from that fit with the key. Pedal points can appear in any part of the music where chords and melodies show up, not just the bass notes.
- In the realm of online-education, music distribution platforms and learning resources can offer courses on pedal points, deepening one's understanding of this fascinating music distribution technique.
- To enhance self-development as a musician, taking an online-education course on education-and-self-development that covers pedal points would be a valuable investment in learning new compositional techniques.
