What happens when the chords change but the bass stays put? You get a pedal tone — a simple way to give a familiar piano chord progression a very different sound.
In the third part of “The bass is boss”, I take a 1–5–6–4 progression in C major and keep a C underneath the changing chords. Then I try the same idea over G, the fifth note of the scale, to create a more tense, expectant sound with a strong pull back towards the tonic.
Try it in your own piano improvisations, accompaniments or songs. Holding one bass note while the harmony moves above it can be a powerful way to build tension and make the eventual resolution feel more satisfying.
If you’d like help exploring harmony, songwriting or creative piano playing, find out about my coaching at billspianopages.com.