What are the pedals on a piano for?
/When you start learning the piano, your focus is firmly on the keys. But the pedals are just as important when it comes to enriching the sounds you can produce.
Knowing what the pedals can do could help you improve your playing and create changes in tone and dynamics.
What do the pedals do on a piano?
It is important to note that many pianos can have different functions for the pedals. Those listed below are common for a Grand Piano which has three pedals (a modern acoustic piano can also have up to three pedals although these may perform different functions):
The sustain pedal (right)
The soft pedal (left)
The sostenuto pedal (middle)
Sustain pedal
Position: On the right of the three pedals
Function: The sustain pedal is also known as the damper pedal because it removes the damper from the strings allowing them to continue to vibrate.
As a result, every note can resonate for even longer, which creates a richer and more resonant sound as if you were playing in a cave. Each string has a relationship with several a number of other strings. For example, a low C on the piano, when played and held, will make all of the other C strings on the piano want to vibrate too. This effect is known as sympathetic resonance. When the dampers are off, all the strings that who have a relationship with another string that is vibrating enough will also vibrate.
Soft pedal
Position: On the left of the three pedals
Function: The soft pedal on a piano is also known as the ‘una corda’ pedal meaning ‘one string’ pedal.
In an acoustic piano, each hammer hits a varying number of strings when the key is pressed. We usually have one string in the bass register, two strings in the mid register and three strings in the treble. The hammer will normally hit the string/s when a key is pressed.
When you depress the soft pedal (una corda) the piano’s mechanism shifts to the right. The result is that the hammer strikes less than the full number of strings, although in the bass there is only one string so this would remain the same. However, as the striking position has changed there would be an alteration to the sound.
Sostenuto pedal
Position: In the middle of the three pedals
Function: The sostenuto pedal works in a similar way to the sustain pedal. The difference is that this pedal only sustains the notes being played when you use the pedal. That allows you to add a sustained effect without muddying the overall sound.
The third pedal is a relatively new addition to the piano and can have several functions. It can be replaced by a bass sustain pedal. In an upright piano a practice pedal, allowing the piano to be played softly so it stops people banging on the walls when you’re practicing.
How to read pedal notation
Knowing when to use each pedal will add an extra dimension to the sounds you’re able to produce when playing.
Some composers include pedal notation so you know exactly when to add your pedal effects but some leave it up to the performer’s experience to know what to do. These markings show you when to press the pedal and when to lift your foot again.
The sustain pedal is annotated in three ways:
1. Ped. indicates when to press the pedal down, an asterisk * indicates where to release the pedal.
2. A line before the staff shows you where to press down and release the pedal. A notch in the line means you should release and immediately press down on the pedal - this is called overlapping pedalling.
3. The instruction ‘con pedale’ at the start of a piece of music means the piece can have sustain pedal where you feel it might be appropriate.
For a piece of music using the soft pedal you’ll see the annotation ‘una corda’ to indicate when to press down on the pedal and ‘tre corda’ when you need to release.
The use of this sostenuto pedal is annotated as ‘sost. ped’, ‘S.P.’ OR ‘ThP’ to press down and asterisk to lift your foot.
How to use the pedals
Before you start to play with the pedals, make sure you’re sitting with your feet flat on the floor with the stool at the correct height and position. Line up your big toes with the left and right pedals.
When you want to use a pedal, your heel remains on the floor and using somewhere between the big toe and the ball of the foot, you press the pedal. Try and make the motion as smooth as possible, much like the pedals on a car.
As you become more confident in your use of the pedals you might like to try the following techniques:
Legato/delayed pedalling: press down the pedal after you play a note, release and press down again after you play the next note. This gives a smooth and continuous sound to your playing, although it should never replace legato movements made by the fingers, hands, wrists and arms. The pedalling action and the resonance of the pedal should be closely connected.
Preliminary pedalling: Try pressing down the sustain pedal before you play the note. The damper will be off the string before the note is struck, giving a satisfying richer tone when all the strings sing in sympathetic resonance.
Simultaneous pedalling: Also known as direct or rhythmic pedalling, you’ll press and release the pedal at the same time as you play a note or chord. This gives a rhythmic emphasis to your playing.
After pedalling: For example, after the performer has played a chord the pedal could be applied a half- beat later adding further resonance and another rhythm, at that point, to the chord.
Half pedalling: partially pressing down on the sustain pedal means the damper doesn’t fully connect with the strings, this can enable the performer to take the energy out of some of the notes, perhaps allowing a low bass note to ring out without blurring. This technique can be used in Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.
Diminuendo pedalling: by slowly releasing the sustain pedal the dampers would gradually dampen the vibrations of the strings creating a gradual diminishing in volume.
As you can see, mastering the pedals can make a huge difference to the way a piece will sound. Just be careful not to overdo it - make sure the music always comes first!
If you want to know more about how to use pedalling to improve your playing, contact us for a free piano lesson. We’ll put you in touch with the perfect piano tutor for you, so you can make the most out of your piano.