Three pedals, a whole world of sound

Piano pedals are the feet's way of joining in the playing. While the fingers choose the notes, the foot decides how long they will last and in what colour they will sound. Most pianos have two or three pedals, and each has its own role.

Here you will find what each pedal does inside the piano, how to practise with it, and what changes between an upright, a grand and a digital piano.

How to press correctly

The heel stays on the floor, and the press comes from the front of the foot, in a small, precise movement. The right foot takes the right pedal, and the left foot the left and middle pedals. The foot reaches the pedals easily when the bench is at the right height and distance, which we wrote about in the piano bench guide.

The trick worth learning early is pedal changing on the right pedal: play the new chord, and only then lift the pedal and press again. That way the previous sound clears and the new one remains. In sheet music you will see the marking Ped. at the point of pressing, and an asterisk or a line at the point of release. On every piano the pedals feel a little different, so start with a few trial presses.

The middle pedal: it depends on the piano

On a grand the middle pedal is called the sostenuto. It holds only the notes whose keys were pressed at the moment of pressing, and the rest of the playing stays clean. That way you can hold a long bass note and play a light passage above it. More on grands: how to choose a grand piano.

On most uprights the middle pedal lowers a strip of felt between the hammers and strings, and the sound becomes very quiet. It suits practice in the evening hours. On some uprights built in the United States, it sustains only the low notes. For headphone practice there is also the silent piano, and for choosing an upright: how to choose an upright piano.

The left pedal: a soft sound

The left pedal softens the sound, and each type of piano does it in its own way. On an upright it moves the hammers closer to the strings, so their stroke is shorter and gentler. On a grand it shifts the whole action slightly sideways, and the hammer strikes fewer strings or a different part of its felt. On a grand the result is a quieter sound in a different colour, warm and veiled. That is why musicians call it by its Italian name, una corda, "one string".

The right pedal: the sound continues

This is the pedal players press most. Inside the piano, above each string, rests a small felt-padded damper. When you lift your finger from the key, the damper drops back onto the string and stops the vibration. Pressing the right pedal lifts all the dampers together, so the notes keep resonating even after the hands have moved on.

There is another lovely benefit: when all the strings are free, they vibrate along with the notes being played, and the sound fills with depth and resonance. Thanks to it, you can connect distant chords and play a continuous melody even when the hand needs to leap across the keyboard.

And on a digital piano

A digital piano for the home usually has three pedals that imitate the acoustic piano, and a portable model has a single pedal that connects by cable. On some models the right pedal also detects partial pressing, as on an acoustic piano. More on them: digital piano.

At the store and gallery at 28 Ben Atar you can try the pedals on uprights, grands and digital pianos side by side. And a pedal that squeaks or feels different is looked after during a visit to your home. We are here for you.

Links: Silent piano · How to choose a grand piano · How to choose an upright piano · Piano bench · Digital piano

Book a visit Call 050-7750691