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Melody, Texture & Counterpoint

Drone

Definition

A drone is a note, or a pair of notes such as the tonic and fifth, sustained or repeated continuously beneath a melody. Bagpipes, the hurdy-gurdy and the Indian tanpura are built around one.

A drone is a note, or a small group of notes, that sounds continuously under the rest of the music. Most often it is the home note, the tonic, frequently with the fifth above it to make an open fifth. The drone stays put while the melody moves above it, so every melody note is heard against the same fixed reference.

A grand staff with a one-sharp key signature in 4/4, four bars. The left hand holds whole notes D3 and A3, tied from bar to bar. The right hand plays quarter notes D5, E5, F-sharp 5, E5; D5, C5 and a half note A4; quarter notes B4, C5, D5, E5; and a whole note D5.
The left hand holds an open fifth, D and A, tied through all four bars. Above it, an original melody in D Mixolydian (D major with C natural, so the key signature has one sharp) moves freely, always heard against the same D.

Instruments with a built-in drone

  • Bagpipes: one or more drone pipes sound continuously beside the chanter, the pipe that plays the melody.
  • Hurdy-gurdy: drone strings buzz under the melody strings.
  • Tanpura: in Indian classical music, the tanpura provides a continuous drone, usually of the tonic and fifth, against which the singer or instrumentalist unfolds the raga.
  • Banjo and dulcimer: the short fifth string of a five-string banjo and the drone strings of the Appalachian dulcimer ring under the melody.
  • Didgeridoo: the whole instrument is essentially a drone, shaped by the player's voice and breath.

A musette is a small French bagpipe, and pieces named after it, such as the Musette in D, often imitate its drone with a bass that keeps returning to the same note.

Drone or pedal point?

A pedal point is a note held in the bass for a passage while the chords above it change, often clashing with it before they resolve; it is a device within tonal harmony. A drone usually lasts through a whole piece or section and is the foundation the melody grows from, especially in modal music.

Practicing with a drone

Playing scales and melodies against a drone is a classic way to improve intonation. Because every note is heard against the tonic, an out-of-tune note rubs or "beats" against the drone. String, wind and vocal teachers use drone tracks for exactly this. A drone also makes modes easy to hear: the example's melody, with C natural over a D drone, sounds clearly Mixolydian.

Common questions

What is the difference between a drone and a pedal point?

Both are held notes. A pedal point lasts for a passage while chords change above it, often creating and resolving tension. A drone usually sounds throughout a piece or section as its foundation.

Practice it: free worksheets