Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-4-harmonic-devices

[Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [GCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse.md) › [Music](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music.md) › [Edexcel](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel.md) › Harmonic Devices

# Harmonic Devices

Music: Edexcel GCSE, topic 1.1.4

## Pedal Notes

Harmonic devices include pedal notes, suspension, modulation, and ground bass.

### Pedal notes

![Pedal notes](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/a72c5ef7-d10e-4416-87b1-7dd9824d1738/piano-78492_1920.jpg)

- 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](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/1421c690-6fb6-44ed-993f-bbc4d7436603/numbers-1487222_1280.png)

- 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](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-11/d656d96c-32f2-4e2d-b97e-d12307c472d8/5-number-five-.jpg)

- 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](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-11/25687aa0-0f65-44d9-ad9c-3783b557241d/music-headphones-listen-.jpg)

- 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

Harmonic devices include pedal notes, suspension, modulation, and ground bass.

### Suspension

![Suspension](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/e74400de-3998-4408-b872-149f5553a54e/three-3-number-.png)

- 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](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-05/33aa9fba-4728-4f6f-8dde-8d99d9b6a33b/accordion-music-instrument-.jpg)

- 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).

![](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2024-03/3e8d1cb4-a22f-448c-9dd7-d2495855ba60/Screenshot%202024-03-07%20201143.png)

- It would look something like this:

### Set works

![Set works](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/a26b3473-f3d5-4f97-9b86-5c7e13759d0e/man-headphones-music-listen.jpg)

- 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

Harmonic devices include pedal notes, suspension, modulation, and ground bass.

### Ground bass

![Ground bass](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-05/f8abd86f-3040-4297-ac7a-e618c053a0d8/bass-clef-music-.png)

- 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](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-05/4367f7b7-5044-43e4-a920-32d29e83803c/harp-music-instrument-.jpg)

- 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](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/1ee50160-4d87-4c1a-8fd0-12815b32d8da/classical-music-sheetmusic.jpg)

- 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](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-05/5063497b-112e-4076-93cf-15314bf15e4b/sheet-music-score-.jpg)

- 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#).

## Test yourself on Harmonic Devices

- Which set work has many suspensions in the accompaniment?
- Which period was ground bass very popular?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/8a9f121c-bdb0-42db-bbd6-a88f8f723518/section/c57275a6-ef15-45e7-8661-1e5c9bce4331/session)

- Previous topic: [1.1.3 Harmonic Pitch](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-3-harmonic-pitch.md)
- Next topic: [1.1.5 Harmonic Progressions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-5-harmonic-progressions.md)

## Music: Edexcel GCSE contents

### 1 Musical Elements
- 1.1 Organisation of Pitch
  - [1.1.1 Melodic Pitch](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-1-melodic-pitch.md)
  - [1.1.2 Melodic Devices](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-2-melodic-devices.md)
  - [1.1.3 Harmonic Pitch](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-3-harmonic-pitch.md)
  - [1.1.4 Harmonic Devices](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-4-harmonic-devices.md)
  - [1.1.5 Harmonic Progressions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-1-5-harmonic-progressions.md)
- 1.2 Tonality
  - [1.2.1 Major & Minor Tonality](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-2-1-major-and-minor-tonality.md)
  - [1.2.2 End of Topic Test - Musical Elements](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/1-2-2-end-of-topic-test-musical-elements.md)

### 2 Instrumental Music 1700–1820
- 2.1 Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major
  - [2.1.1 Concerto No. 5 in D Major](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-1-1-concerto-no-5-in-d-major.md)
  - [2.1.2 Structure & Melody](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-1-2-structure-and-melody.md)
  - [2.1.3 Instrumentation & Texture](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-1-3-instrumentation-and-texture.md)
  - [2.1.4 Harmony](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-1-4-harmony.md)
  - [2.1.5 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-1-5-wider-listening.md)
- 2.2 Beethoven: Sonata ‘Pathétique’
  - [2.2.1 Piano Sonata No. 8](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-2-1-piano-sonata-no-8.md)
  - [2.2.2 Structure & Melody](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-2-2-structure-and-melody.md)
  - [2.2.3 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-2-3-other-features.md)
  - [2.2.4 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-2-4-wider-listening.md)
  - [2.2.5 End of Topic Test - Instrumental Music 1700–1820](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/2-2-5-end-of-topic-test-instrumental-music-1700-1820.md)

### 3 Vocal Music
- 3.1 Purcell: Music for a While
  - [3.1.1 Music for a While](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-1-1-music-for-a-while.md)
  - [3.1.2 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-1-2-other-features.md)
  - [3.1.3 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-1-3-wider-listening.md)
- 3.2 Queen: Killer Queen
  - [3.2.1 Killer Queen](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-2-1-killer-queen.md)
  - [3.2.2 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-2-2-other-features.md)
  - [3.2.3 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-2-3-wider-listening.md)
  - [3.2.4 End of Topic Test - Vocal Music](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/3-2-4-end-of-topic-test-vocal-music.md)

### 4 Music for Stage & Screen
- 4.1 Schwartz: Defying Gravity
  - [4.1.1 Defying Gravity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-1-1-defying-gravity.md)
  - [4.1.2 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-1-2-other-features.md)
  - [4.1.3 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-1-3-wider-listening.md)
  - [4.1.4 End of Topic Test - Defying Gravity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-1-4-end-of-topic-test-defying-gravity.md)
- 4.2 Williams: Star Wars Episode IV
  - [4.2.1 A New Hope](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-2-1-a-new-hope.md)
  - [4.2.2 Structure & Melody](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-2-2-structure-and-melody.md)
  - [4.2.3 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-2-3-other-features.md)
  - [4.2.4 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-2-4-wider-listening.md)
  - [4.2.5 End of Topic Test - Star Wars Episode IV](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/4-2-5-end-of-topic-test-star-wars-episode-iv.md)

### 5 Fusions
- 5.1 Afro Celt Sound System: Release
  - [5.1.1 Release](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-1-1-release.md)
  - [5.1.2 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-1-2-other-features.md)
  - [5.1.3 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-1-3-wider-listening.md)
- 5.2 Spalding: Samba Em Preludio
  - [5.2.1 Samba Em Preludio](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-2-1-samba-em-preludio.md)
  - [5.2.2 Structure & Melody](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-2-2-structure-and-melody.md)
  - [5.2.3 Other Features](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-2-3-other-features.md)
  - [5.2.4 Wider Listening](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-2-4-wider-listening.md)
  - [5.2.5 End of Topic Test - Fusions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/music/edexcel/5-2-5-end-of-topic-test-fusions.md)