The pedal point · Tensions and pedal · Music theory
A pedal point is a held note, normally in the bass, while the chords change above it. Some chords include it and others clash with it, and that alternation…
The pedal point
A pedal point is a held note, normally in the bass, while the chords change above it. Some chords include it and others clash with it, and that alternation creates its effect. The most frequent are the tonic pedal, which gives stability, and the dominant pedal, which builds tension before the return.
The name comes from the organ, whose pedals can hold a note while the hands go on. In Bach’s fugues the dominant pedal prepares the final arrival; in classical works it often appears before the recapitulation. If it is in a high voice, it is called an inverted pedal.