> >> is assuming that the bass note is part of the chord, when in
> >> fact it may or may not be--it could be a pedal tone or even a non-chordal
> >> tone.
> >
> >Sorry, I never heard of extra bass tones that might not be part of a
> >chord. Example?
>
> There are plenty of examples in the literature, if I had my 'Harmony' book
> with me (which is a great resource, BTW) I could quote you a few. However,
> sometimes a series of changing chords will be blocked out over a static tone
> in the bass, usually this was referred to as a pedal tone (and it's been
> continued to be used, even in contemporary music).
If you have ever heard bagpipe music, I believe you will have heard a
pedal tone. A great highland bagpipe continuously emits the tonic
note. Thus when a bagpipe band plays, that tonic will always be present
in the base, regardless of what chords the band happens to be playing.
It actually sounds pretty cool.
You can experience a similar effect if you have a noisy car, and you
sing using the hum the car makes as the tonic. Of course, if other
people are in the car, they may think that you are weird.
Of course, the name pedal tone comes from the fact that on organ they
would be played with one's feet.
--
David Roundy
http://civet.berkeley.edu/droundy/
