BookatlasPiano Rabbit Hole: Improvisation Theory & Practice
3702 / 18210 · Workshop 19 — “On Green Dolphin Street”: Modal Vamps, Pedal Points, Functional Harmony, and Switching Between Two Different Ways of Thinking← prev⊞ allnext →

19.5Why a pedal is powerful

It separates:

bass identity

from:

upper harmony identity.

Normally the bass root helps define the chord.

With a pedal:

the upper harmony can become ambiguous.

That creates a floating sound.