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Pedal points, in the wild

By Mayank Sanganeria

Most of harmony is the bass moving with the chord. A pedal point is the exception: one note — tonic or dominant, almost always — holds still in the bass for bars at a time while everything above it keeps changing chord. Scanning our corpus for exactly that shape found 130 pedal points across 52 real pieces, each one a bass note that refuses to move while two, three, sometimes four different chords stack up above it.

Practice with the pieces that use it →

The census

How often each piece in the corpus leans on a held bass, ranked by how much it happens:

Sonata No. 11, K. 331 — Alla Turca leans on it hardest — 6 separate held-bass spans. The Alla Turca's famous "Turkish" drone is a pedal point by another name: the left hand parks on one note while the right hand's harmony marches right over it.

Hear the held bass

Each link opens the piece in the harmony player. The bar spans below name the held bass note and the chords stacked above it — chords that would look unrelated on their own make sense once you hear the one note tying them together.

• Sonata No. 11, K. 331 — Alla Turca W. A. Mozart 6 pedal points A3 held bars 1–4 under i, bVI7 (A), i7 · A3 held bars 17–19 under i, bVI7 (A), i7 · A2 held bars 24–26 under i, I, I7
• Prelude 7 in E-flat major (BWV 852) J. S. Bach 6 pedal points E-3 held bars 1–2 under I, ii (Eb), V7/IV, ii7 (Eb) · F3 held bars 20–21 under V7/V, V (F), ii7 · B-2 held bars 23–25 under iii7 (Bb), vi7 (Bb), V
• Morning Mood (Peer Gynt) E. Grieg 5 pedal points C3 held bars 4–7 under I, vi7 (C) · E3 held bars 8–15 under III, I+7 (E) · G2 held bars 18–20 under V, V7
• The Little Hunter's Song (Album for the Young, Op. 68 No. 7) R. Schumann 5 pedal points C3 held bars 0–2 under v, i (C) · C4 held bars 8–10 under V, v · C3 held bars 11–13 under v, V7, I (C)
• Prelude 3 in C-sharp major (BWV 848) J. S. Bach 5 pedal points G#3 held bars 10–13 under vi (G#), V, I (G#) · A#3 held bars 26–29 under vii (A#), vi, ii (A#) · F#3 held bars 48–51 under v (F#), IV, bVII (F#)
• Prelude 5 in D major (BWV 850) J. S. Bach 5 pedal points F#2 held bars 8–10 under V7/vi, vi7 (F#), iii7, viiø7/ii (F#) · D2 held bars 13–15 under vi7 (D), V7/V (D) · A2 held bars 27–30 under V7, vi7 (A), i (A), bVI7 (A)
• Nocturne in C-sharp minor (Op. posth.) F. Chopin 4 pedal points C#3 held bars 5–7 under i, iiø7 (C#), V7/iv · C#3 held bars 13–16 under i, iiø7 (C#), VI7 (C#), V7/iv · C#3 held bars 47–49 under i, iiø7 (C#), VI7 (C#), V7/iv
• Clair de Lune C. Debussy 4 pedal points E-2 held bars 45–46 under ii7, V7 (Eb) · G-4 held bars 49–50 under ii7 (Gb), ii (Gb) · F4 held bars 51–53 under iii, V7/vi, iii7, vi (F)
• Sonata in C, K. 545 W. A. Mozart 4 pedal points C4 held bars 2–3 under I, IV (C) · G2 held bars 11–12 under V, I (G) · F4 held bars 43–44 under IV, bVII (F)
• Moonlight Sonata, 1st Movement L. v. Beethoven 4 pedal points B1 held bars 15–18 under vii, bI7 (B), VII · G#1 held bars 28–36 under V7, i (G#), viiø7/VII (G#) · G#1 held bars 38–40 under V7, III+ (G#)
• Swan Lake Theme P. I. Tchaikovsky 4 pedal points B3 held bars 1–4 under i, iiø7 (B) · B3 held bars 6–8 under i, iv7 (B), iiø7 (B) · B3 held bars 20–21 under i, iiø7 (B)
• The Irish Rover Traditional 4 pedal points C3 held bars 1–3 under I, vi7 (C) · C3 held bars 5–8 under I, vi7 (C), iv (C) · C3 held bars 9–13 under I, vi7 (C), I7
• Prelude 16 in G minor (BWV 861) J. S. Bach 4 pedal points G3 held bars 1–2 under VI7 (G), iv7 (G), i7 · B-2 held bars 8–8 under iv (Bb), i7 (Bb), VI7 (Bb) · D3 held bars 14–15 under i (D), V7, viiø7/VII (D), V
• Arabesque, Op. 100 No. 2 F. Burgmüller 3 pedal points A3 held bars 1–6 under i, iv (A) · G3 held bars 7–9 under III (G), V7/III · A3 held bars 20–31 under i, iv (A)
• Arabesque No. 1 C. Debussy 3 pedal points E2 held bars 6–9 under iii7 (E), iii (E) · E2 held bars 76–79 under iii7 (E), iii (E) · E2 held bars 99–103 under iii7 (E), iii (E)
• Arabesque No. 2 C. Debussy 3 pedal points D4 held bars 19–20 under V7/IV (D), iiiø7 (D) · D4 held bars 97–97 under V, vi7 (D), V7 · G1 held bars 108–110 under I, i
• Für Elise L. v. Beethoven 3 pedal points F3 held bars 25–29 under VI7, bII7 (F), vii7 (F), VI · B-2 held bars 73–75 under bII, bV7 (Bb), bII7 · A3 held bars 80–82 under i, i7
• Prelude No. 1 in C, BWV 846 (WTC I) J. S. Bach 3 pedal points C4 held bars 4–6 under I, vi (C), V7/V (C) · G2 held bars 24–27 under V7, I (G), ii (G) · G2 held bars 29–31 under I (G), ii (G), V7
• Prelude 1 in C major (BWV 846) J. S. Bach 3 pedal points C4 held bars 4–6 under I, vi (C), V7/V (C) · G2 held bars 24–27 under V7, I (G), ii (G) · G2 held bars 29–31 under I (G), ii (G), V7
• Prelude 2 in C minor (BWV 847) J. S. Bach 3 pedal points C3 held bars 4–6 under i, VI7 (C), V7/v (C) · G2 held bars 28–29 under i (G), i7 (G), #vi (G), V · C2 held bars 37–38 under i, V7/iv, iiø7 (C)
• Prelude 7 in E-flat major (BWV 876) J. S. Bach 3 pedal points E-2 held bars 5–6 under I, V7/IV, IV (Eb) · B-2 held bars 13–14 under V, V7, I (Bb), iii (Bb) · B-2 held bars 55–56 under viø7 (Bb), i (Bb), V
• Sonatina in G, Anh. 5 No. 1 L. v. Beethoven 2 pedal points D3 held bars 13–15 under V7, vi7 (D), iii7 (D) · D3 held bars 25–31 under v, I (D), V, V7
• Air Napolitain "Santa Lucia" C. Czerny 2 pedal points D3 held bars 12–15 under I (D), V7 · D3 held bars 20–22 under vi7 (D), I (D), V7
• Gymnopédie No. 1 E. Satie 2 pedal points E2 held bars 35–37 under V (E), iii7 (E), iii (E) · E2 held bars 73–76 under bIII7 (E), v (E), biii (E)
• Minuet in C (Notebook for Wolfgang) L. Mozart 2 pedal points G2 held bars 4–6 under V, v, I (G) · D2 held bars 12–14 under II, ii, V (D)
• Liebestraum No. 3 F. Liszt 2 pedal points D-3 held bars 56–57 under ii7 (Db), viiø7 (Db), IV7 · A-2 held bars 82–84 under I, I7
• The Merry Peasant (Album for the Young, Op. 68 No. 10) R. Schumann 2 pedal points C3 held bars 8–10 under V, V7 · C3 held bars 14–16 under I (C), V7
• When the Saints Go Marching In Traditional 2 pedal points C3 held bars 2–7 under vi (C), I, vi7 (C) · C3 held bars 14–19 under vi7 (C), vi (C), I, i
• Prelude 6 in D minor (BWV 851) J. S. Bach 2 pedal points D3 held bars 1–2 under i, iiø7 (D) · D3 held bars 17–20 under V7/iv, iv (D), iiø7 (D), iv7 (D)
• Prelude 22 in B-flat minor (BWV 867) J. S. Bach 2 pedal points B-3 held bars 1–3 under i, iiø7 (Bb), iv7 (Bb) · F3 held bars 20–21 under viiø7/VII (F), V7, III+7 (F), i7 (F)
• Prelude 5 in D major (BWV 874) J. S. Bach 2 pedal points E2 held bars 10–12 under V7/V, iii7 (E), V7 (E) · F#2 held bars 30–32 under V7/vi, vi (F#), vi7 (F#)
• Prelude 6 in D minor (BWV 875) J. S. Bach 2 pedal points G3 held bars 18–20 under iv, V7 (G) · A3 held bars 30–31 under i (A), v, viiø7/VII (A)
• Prelude 12 in F minor (BWV 881) J. S. Bach 2 pedal points C4 held bars 5–7 under viiø7/VII (C), V7 · E-4 held bars 16–19 under v7 (Eb), i7 (Eb), V7/III
• Prelude 13 in F-sharp major (BWV 882) J. S. Bach 2 pedal points F#3 held bars 23–26 under IV (F#), I, ii7 (F#) · D#3 held bars 38–38 under vi7, vi, VII (D#)
• Prelude 15 in G major (BWV 884) J. S. Bach 2 pedal points G3 held bars 31–32 under I, V7/IV, vi7 (G) · E3 held bars 34–35 under viiø7 (E), IV (E)
• Prelude 18 in G-sharp minor (BWV 887) J. S. Bach 2 pedal points G#3 held bars 1–2 under i, iiø7 (G#) · G#3 held bars 3–4 under i, iiø7 (G#)
• Lullaby (Wiegenlied) J. Brahms 1 pedal point D-3 held bars 1–4 under I, I7
• Nocturne in E♭, Op. 9 No. 2 F. Chopin 1 pedal point E-2 held bars 25–26 under iiø7 (Eb), I, I7
• Sonatina in C, Op. 36 No. 1 M. Clementi 1 pedal point G3 held bars 19–21 under V, v, i (G)
• Humoresque No. 7 A. Dvořák 1 pedal point G3 held bars 15–17 under vi7 (G), I
• The Entertainer S. Joplin 1 pedal point G2 held bars 78–81 under I (G), V7
• The Wild Horseman (Album for the Young, Op. 68 No. 8) R. Schumann 1 pedal point C3 held bars 11–13 under i7 (C), VI (C), III
• Londonderry Air (Danny Boy) Traditional 1 pedal point E-2 held bars 8–10 under vi7 (Eb), I7
• Prelude 9 in E major (BWV 854) J. S. Bach 1 pedal point B2 held bars 19–20 under iii7 (B), vi7 (B), V
• Prelude 12 in F minor (BWV 857) J. S. Bach 1 pedal point C3 held bars 18–21 under V7, VI7 (C), i (C), viiø7/VII (C)
• Prelude 13 in F-sharp major (BWV 858) J. S. Bach 1 pedal point C#2 held bars 26–28 under V7, i7 (C#)
• Prelude 14 in F-sharp minor (BWV 859) J. S. Bach 1 pedal point F#3 held bars 1–1 under i, iv (F#), ii (F#)
• Prelude 15 in G major (BWV 860) J. S. Bach 1 pedal point G2 held bars 1–3 under vi7 (G), I7, V7/V (G)
• Prelude 20 in A minor (BWV 865) J. S. Bach 1 pedal point A2 held bars 1–4 under i7, iiø7 (A)
• Prelude 23 in B major (BWV 868) J. S. Bach 1 pedal point F#3 held bars 17–17 under V, vi7 (F#), iii7 (F#), I (F#)
• Prelude 14 in F-sharp minor (BWV 883) J. S. Bach 1 pedal point C#3 held bars 5–7 under V7, i (C#), i7 (C#), V
• Prelude 24 in B minor (BWV 893) J. S. Bach 1 pedal point B2 held bars 28–30 under iv (B), I7

Go deeper

• Train your ear to catch them → Our ear-training site drills hearing the bass hold still against changing harmony above it — the sound of a chord progression with the floor nailed down.
• The theory: prolonging the tonic → How a held bass extends a single harmonic function across several chords — the chapter on our theory site.
• Chords borrowed over the held bass → The Alla Turca's pedal point above sits under a bVI7 — a chord on loan from the parallel minor, surveyed on its own terms.
• Learn a piece that uses them → The practice ladder loops eight bars at a time — hear the harmony slowly, read along, then play at tempo.