Originally a term derived from the low notes of an organ played with a pedal, the name ‘pedal tone’ is now more commonly used to describe a static bass note played under changing chords. In fact, I’m ...

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Getty Images Conventional wisdom dictates that a well-written song will stand up even ...

The term ‘embellished’ isn’t really a theoretical one, but it seems an appropriate way to describe these examples. Sometimes an idea for a chord progression can come to us virtually complete; at other ...