Uploaded October 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
billspianopages.com/how-to-really
billspianopages.com/seven-studies
Pedal tones are a fantastically easy way of creating rich, professional-sounding chord progressions on the piano. Basically you play a regular chord progression in the right, but just a single note (often doubled) in the left. BUT you have to know which notes work as pedal tones and which don’t, and what effect they have on the chords you’re playing. This piano tutorial explains all.
I start by explaining what pedal tones - also known as pedal notes or pedal point - are, and then use a simple, looping chord progression to demonstrate the effect they have on particular piano chords. The important thing to understand is that the most effective pedal tones are always the tonic and fifth degree of the scale of the key you’re playing in - e.g., G and D in G major.
MY BOOKS
How To Really Play The Piano (book): billspianopages.com/how-to-really
An Introduction To Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktail
Seven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Facebook: fb.me/billhiltonpiano
Twitter: twitter.com/billhilton
Instagram: instagram.com/billhilton
If you like my stuff on pedal tones and you want to know more about pop piano chords, improvisation and piano in general, remember to subscribe to my channel. You might also find this playlist of tutorials on pop piano useful:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QlnJXRxAxKBfGlElV7FFbB1
billspianopages.com/how-to-really
billspianopages.com/seven-studies
Pedal tones are a fantastically easy way of creating rich, professional-sounding chord progressions on the piano. Basically you play a regular chord progression in the right, but just a single note (often doubled) in the left. BUT you have to know which notes work as pedal tones and which don’t, and what effect they have on the chords you’re playing. This piano tutorial explains all.
I start by explaining what pedal tones - also known as pedal notes or pedal point - are, and then use a simple, looping chord progression to demonstrate the effect they have on particular piano chords. The important thing to understand is that the most effective pedal tones are always the tonic and fifth degree of the scale of the key you’re playing in - e.g., G and D in G major.
MY BOOKS
How To Really Play The Piano (book): billspianopages.com/how-to-really
An Introduction To Cocktail Piano: billspianopages.com/cocktail
Seven Studies in Pop Piano: billspianopages.com/seven-studies
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Facebook: fb.me/billhiltonpiano
Twitter: twitter.com/billhilton
Instagram: instagram.com/billhilton
If you like my stuff on pedal tones and you want to know more about pop piano chords, improvisation and piano in general, remember to subscribe to my channel. You might also find this playlist of tutorials on pop piano useful:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOuhygfD7QlnJXRxAxKBfGlElV7FFbB1
