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Glite Dictionary
pedal point

pedal point

7.9
A long low note held while other notes above it change
  • noun
  • /ˈpɛdəl pɔɪnt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : punto pedal
  • The pedal point in the bass line sustained a deep note while the melody changed harmonies.

Examples

  • In the composition, the pedal point created a sense of tension as the chords shifted above it.

  • During the performance, the musician used a pedal point to enhance the emotional impact of the piece.

  • Before the actual exam in May, there should be a week of mop-up operations, including a review of common music terminology such as agogic and harmonic rhythm, hemiola, ostinato, pedal point, and other terms that will probably crop up on the multiple-choice questions.

    Academic text (1993)

Synonyms

pedal
vspedal point
  • Specialized
4 7.5

A low note held in the bass while the other music changes

is the fuller term often used to stress musical tension and resolution

Surface Forms

pedal point singular
pedal points plural

Morphology

pedal + point

The compound is directly compositional: 'pedal' as a sustained tone combined with 'point' meaning a specific position yields the idea of the sustained note at a particular place in the music. This follows ordinary noun+noun formation and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituent senses.

Etymology

Pedal point comes from organ playing, where a player holds a low note on the pedal, the foot keys, while other notes and chords change above it. That's why the word now means 'a sustained low note under changing harmonies'.