What is a pedal point?
A pedal point (or pedal tone) refers to a single note repeated or sustained (usually in the bass) while harmony changes above it. In certain styles, the continuous use of pedal points can result in an unwanted drone-like quality. It is worth noting that the term “pedal” originated from organ music and is referred to as an “organ point.”
Take a look at how we incorporated pedal points into our music
Examples of Music with a Pedal Point
– John Williams, ”Yoda’s Theme,” The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
– Jonathan Elias, Columbia Pictures logo theme (1993)
– Alan Menken, “Part of Your World,” The Little Mermaid (1989)
– Miles Davis Sextet “Someday My Prince Will Come,” Someday My Prince Will Come (1961)
– Stevie Wonder “Living For The City,” Innervisions (1973)
– Bernard Hermann, “The Letter” from the movie Vertigo (1958)
– Koji Kondo, “Time of the Falling Rain,” The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)
Additional resources on pedal point:
Wikipedia, Music Theory Academy
* This is an excerpt lesson taken from Behind the Score. Video lessons, PDF scores, and MP3 audio files related to this article can be found here: Creating Mood Instantly with Two-Chord Structures
