As timpani have evolved, they’ve become more complex. No longer confined to the back of a horse and a limited range of notes, composers are taking advantage of the instrument’s full abilities. Especially the pedal.

From a student perspective, pedal work starts appearing in intermediate repertoire and will usually coincide with key changes. They require performers to change the note while also counting bars rest and maybe even still playing. The harder the repertoire gets, the greater variety of notes timpanists are required to play and the more frequent these pitch changes occur.