The drama and magic of pedal tones

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Change is overrated. At least when it comes to employing a Pedal Tone technique.
The effect of every note in your progression changing while the bass tones just hover is infectious and dramatic. In fact, there's nothing quite as mysterious as a progression that is both moving forward and staying the same at the same time - when paired with lyrics that enhance that sense of ambiguity, that can give your listener some hardcore goosebumps.
Whether you're vamping on a single note that eventually gives way to a triumphant release, rocking back and forth in an ostinato, or droning into oblivion with sustained tones, this video is here to help you push your music to dramatic new heights. Here's how to put your pedal to the metal!
0:00 - Intro
0:26 - What's a Pedal Tone
2:36 - 1. The Bass
3:22 - 2. The Midrange Voice
3:56 - 3. The Melodic Voice
5:01 - Try This Out
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[@ratikanto]

there are some really interesting books on your shelf

[@JasmineFellows]

Such a clear explanation! I’d only ever thought to use pedal tones in the bass, so this has me excited to write some music and try out other options

[@soundfly]

Yes, Jasmine! Go for it! woohoo!

[@Max-DuBois]

This is pretty neat as a folk banjo player, since the note on the 5th string will generally not be moved much throughout the chord progression. I'll often change it when switching songs to an octave, major seventh, or 8va 2nd above the root.

[@soundfly]

Oh yeah, that's a great example.