Pedal point facts for kids

A pedal point (or pedal note) is a special musical sound. Imagine a note that keeps playing for a long time, even while other notes around it change. This long-held note is usually the lowest sound in the music, like the deep rumbling of a double bass or the lowest keys on a pipe organ. It's called "pedal" because organ players often use their feet on the organ's pedals to hold these notes. Pedal points often build excitement and help a piece of music feel like it's reaching an important moment.

Pedal tone example. The repeated d in the first measure is the pedal point.

What is a Pedal Point?

A pedal point is a single musical note that stays the same while the harmony (the chords and other notes) around it changes. It's like a steady anchor in a sea of moving sounds. This note usually appears in the bass, which is the lowest part of the music.

Why is it Used?

Composers use pedal points for several reasons. They can create a feeling of tension or suspense. They can also make the music feel very stable and grounded. Often, a pedal point helps to build up to a big finish or a dramatic part of a song.

Types of Pedal Points

Pedal points are usually based on two main notes of a musical key:

• Tonic Pedal: This is when the held note is the main note of the key (the "home" note). For example, if a song is in the key of C major, a tonic pedal would be a C note. It makes the music feel very stable and resolved.
• Dominant Pedal: This is when the held note is the fifth note of the scale in that key. For example, in the key of C major, the dominant note is G. A dominant pedal creates a feeling of anticipation, making the listener want the music to resolve back to the tonic.

Examples of Pedal Points

A famous example of a dominant pedal can be found in the Prelude in C major by Johann Sebastian Bach. This piece is from his collection called The Well-Tempered Clavier.

An example of a tonic pedal appears in the third movement of Johannes Brahms's German Requiem. In the final part of this movement, the double basses play a continuous D note. Because this note lasts for a very long time, some people might also call it a drone.

Other Kinds of Pedal Points

• Double Pedal: This happens when two different notes are held at the same time, instead of just one.
• Inverted Pedal: Usually, a pedal point is in the lowest part of the music. An inverted pedal is different because the held note is not in the bass. It is often in the highest part of the music, like a high-pitched, sustained sound.

Related pages

• Ostinato
• Drone (music)
• Pedal (music)

Images for kids

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  Pedal point example.

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  Purcell Fantazia upon One Note, opening bars.

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  J. S. Bach, concluding bars of the Fugue in C major from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, BWV 846

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  Pedal tone in Bach's Prelude no. 6 in D Minor, BWV 851, from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, bars 1–2. All pedal tone notes are consonant except for the last three of the first bar.

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  Chopin, Prelude in D♭ Major, Op. 28, No. 15, bars 24–31

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  Brahms, Requiem, 3rd movement, beginning of the closing section