1.1.4
Harmonic Devices
Pedal Notes
Pedal Notes
Harmonic devices include pedal notes, suspension, modulation, and ground bass.
Pedal notes
Pedal notes
- A pedal note is one of the most common harmonic devices used in music and is simply where a single note is held or repeated whilst the rest of the harmony changes.
- There are two main types of pedal note:
- Tonic pedal.
- Dominant pedal.
Tonic pedal
Tonic pedal
- Tonic pedal:
- When the held or repeated note is the first note of the key scale (e.g. C in C major).
- This sounds very stable and ‘rooted.’
Dominant pedal
Dominant pedal
- Dominant pedal:
- When the held or repeated note is the fifth note of the key scale (e.g. G in C major).
- This sounds less stable and feels like the music has ‘lifted’.
Set works
Set works
- Pedals occur in many of the set works.
- Perhaps the most obvious one is in the Allegro (first subject at bar 11) of the Beethoven set work.
- This is a tonic pedal (octave C quavers in the key of C minor).
- See if you can spot some further examples of pedal notes in the set works.
Suspension
Suspension
Harmonic devices include pedal notes, suspension, modulation, and ground bass.
Suspension
Suspension
- A suspension is a special musical effect that can be used in chords.
- There are three stages to a suspension:
- Preparation.
- Suspension.
- Resolution.
Example
Example
- Let’s take this 2 chord sequence - F (FAC) to C (CEG).
- If you were to use a suspension here you would take a note which belonged to the first chord but not the second.
- So F, for instance (preparation).
- This would then be held over to the C chord (the suspension) and then would move DOWN to a note from the C chord - in this case E (the resolution).
- It would look something like this:
Set works
Set works
- The set work Defying Gravity by Schwartz has many suspensions in the accompaniment.
- Try to get used to spotting suspensions by listening to them as they are not always easy to identify in a score!
Other Harmonic Devices
Other Harmonic Devices
Harmonic devices include pedal notes, suspension, modulation, and ground bass.
Ground bass
Ground bass
- A ground bass is a bass line which repeats continuously throughout a piece of music.
- Although the bass part stays the same, the music above it changes with each repetition and often includes the layering of several melodies.
Set works
Set works
- Ground bass was very popular in the Baroque period.
- The most famous example is Canon in D by Pachelbel.
- The set work which uses ground bass is Music For A While by Purcell.
- This uses a 3 bar ground bass made up entirely of quavers.
Modulation
Modulation
- A modulation is where a piece of music changes key, usually to change the mood or to give the music some variation.
- Modulations can be found on a score in one of two ways:
- By a change of key signature.
- Or by adding accidentals which belong to the new key.
Set works
Set works
- Modulations can be found in the set works:
- A change of key signature e.g.:
- At bar 137 of the Beethoven sonata (C Minor to C Major).
- Bars 20 to 22 of Defying Gravity (B Major to F Major).
- By adding accidentals which belong to the new key e.g.:
- Bar 14 of Music for a While by Purcell (A minor to E minor - shown by the addition of an F# and D#).
1Musical Elements
2Instrumental Music 1700–1820
2.1Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major
3Vocal Music
3.1Purcell: Music for a While
4Music for Stage & Screen
4.1Schwartz: Defying Gravity
4.2Williams: Star Wars Episode IV
5Fusions
5.1Afro Celt Sound System: Release
5.2Spalding: Samba Em Preludio
Jump to other topics
1Musical Elements
2Instrumental Music 1700–1820
2.1Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major
3Vocal Music
3.1Purcell: Music for a While
4Music for Stage & Screen
4.1Schwartz: Defying Gravity
4.2Williams: Star Wars Episode IV
5Fusions
5.1Afro Celt Sound System: Release
5.2Spalding: Samba Em Preludio
Unlock your full potential with GoStudent tutoring
Affordable 1:1 tutoring from the comfort of your home
Tutors are matched to your specific learning needs
30+ school subjects covered