Review
A pedal is a held (or repeated) note while the chords change above or below it. The basic lesson covers pedal and ostinato; here we look at advanced types, how to calculate the resulting chords, and how to use them in production.
Types of pedal
| Type | Where | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Tonic | in the bass, on the tonic | stability, intros and endings, ambient |
| Dominant | in the bass, on the V | tension and anticipation (before the recapitulation, before the drop) |
| Upper (inverted) | in the high voice | a bright “thread” above changing chords |
| Inner | in an inner voice | timbral glue (guitar with an open string) |
| Double | tonic + fifth (drone) | archaic, folk, bagpipes |
| Rhythmic | repeated note (eighths, sixteenths) | rhythmic engine (rock, EDM, film) |
Chords over a dominant pedal (G, in C)
| Upper chord | Result | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| C/G | six-four chord | V with appoggiaturas |
| F/G | G9sus4 | suspended dominant |
| Dm7/G | G9sus4 (with 5) | same as above |
| Ab/G | G Ab C Eb | Gsus4(b9 b13), “Phrygian” |
| Bb/G | G Bb D F | Gm7: “minor” dominant |
| B°7/G | G7b9 | full dominant |
| Db/G | G Db F Ab | G7(b5 b9) without the third |
A typical pre-chorus progression: C/G – F/G – Ab/G – G7 (G pedal, rising tension).
Chords over a tonic pedal (C)
| Chord | Result |
|---|---|
| F/C | neighbor IV6/4 (plagal) |
| G/C | Cmaj9 without the third (C G B D) |
| Bb/C | C9sus4 (Mixolydian) |
| D/C | Lydian (C D F# A) |
| Ab/C | bVI over C: Aeolian/film |
| Fm/C | minor iv6/4 |
“Cinematic” loop: C – Bb/C – Ab/C – Bb/C (C pedal): epic Aeolian/Mixolydian.
Upper pedal
A held high note (e.g. G5) over C – Am – F – G: G is the 5 of C, the b7 of Am, the 9 of F, the 1 of G. Always consonant or a soft tension: it is the “drone” technique of the violins in many soundtracks and of the guitar with an open string (open B and E strings in pop/rock voicings).
Real examples
- Bach, Prelude in C, BWV 846: a long dominant pedal on G in the final bars (from about bar 24) and a tonic pedal in the last bars.
- Baroque fugues: dominant pedal before the last entrance of the subject, final tonic pedal.
- Rock and metal: riffs on an open string (E or D in drop) with chords changing above.
- EDM and trance: build-ups with a fixed bass in eighth notes on the dominant or on the tonic.
Production tips
- The bass pedal must be stable in pitch (no glide) and in level: light compression, no pitch modulation.
- On a long pedal, avoid having the pad double the same note in the low register (buildup at 60–120 Hz).
- For a dominant pedal before the drop: automate a high-pass filter on the other instruments and leave the pedal full, then cut it 1 beat before the drop.
- Rhythmic pedal: sidechain to the kick to make it “pump.”
Producer exercise
- Bass G (G1, about 49 Hz) in eighth notes for 8 bars at 126 BPM.
- Pad above: C/G (2 bars) – F/G (2) – Ab/G (2) – G7 (2).
- At the end, drop on C: hear the release of the tension.
Related topics
Pedal and ostinato (basic lesson), prolongation, hybrid chords and polychords, slash chords in pop, harmony for film.