When To Use Piano Pedal?

Last Updated on January 11, 2023

When To Use Piano Pedal?

If you're just starting to learn piano, then one of the most important things to know is when to use the piano pedal. Sure, it's great to understand how it works, but when should you actually be using them? Let's look at both the quiet pedals and sustain or damper pedals.

When you should use the piano pedal depends on the kind of music you're playing. Generally, it's best to use a pedal when playing slower and smoother passages, like in lyrical melodies. It can also be used to create a sustained note while you move around the keys. For classical music or written sheet music, the general rule is to use the pedal after the Romantic Era (around the 1800s on).

When playing written music, keep an eye out for pedal markings which will tell you when is best to use it. In terms of using pedals with chords, you can really use them most of the time unless you're playing overly rhythmic and short melodies.

And if you ever find yourself struggling to play cleanly or accurately with two hands on separate notes or chords, the pedal can offer you the opportunity to smooth out those transitions! So whether your piece requires a gentle sustain or an underwater effect, the piano pedal could be just what you need!

What Are The Different Types Of Pedals On A Piano

Learning to play the piano is a skill that takes commitment and practice. Knowing how to use the pedals is also an important part of playing. Modern acoustic or digital pianos usually come with three pedals, while older acoustic pianos have two. Depending on the type of pedal you are using, it can have different effects on the rich sound.

Sustain Pedal

When a finger is taken away from a key on an acoustic piano, a damper pad stops the note from ringing out. The sustain pedal ensures that notes will continue to ring out for longer, even when the keys are not held down anymore by taking away the dampers from the strings. Thus, it is referred to as the "damper" pedal as well.

Using this pedal is nearly essential for any type of music or song played on a piano as it allows for more variations and gives more emphasis to certain notes. In fact, renowned pianist Artur Rubinstein went so far as to call it the "soul of the piano", signifying its importance in creating beautiful sounds.

Una Corda Pedal

The Una Corda Pedal is an essential feature of a grand piano. It shifts the entire mechanism to the right so that instead of all three strings being struck at once when playing, only two are. This softens the intensity of the bright sound and mellows its tone.

On upright pianos, the pedal works similarly but by moving the hammer closer to the strings rather than simply changing which strings are struck. Both pedaling options create a softer sound with less harsh tones present.

Una corda techniques have been around since the olden days when acoustic pianos were designed in such a way that just one string was hit when una corda pedaling was activated. With today’s technology, it’s easier to replicate this effect but still create something that mimics older styles whilst sounding contemporary too.

Sostenuto Pedal

The Sostenuto pedal on a piano is one of the less-known but useful pedals available. This pedal acts slightly differently than the regular sustain pedal - rather than sustaining all notes, it only holds onto notes that are currently being played when the pedal is pressed.

This means that you can selectively sustain notes, preventing the blurring of sound among different melodies or chords. You won't find this feature in earlier pieces since it's a relatively new addition to the piano - most artists began incorporating it in their compositions especially progressive composers like Debussy and Ravel.

But if you do want an even more nuanced form of control with your sustain sounds, then don't hesitate to try out using the sostenuto pedal!

How Do I Use The Pedals On A Piano?

Using the pedals on a piano is not as hard as it may seem, but it does require some practice and technique for the best results.

Begin by ensuring you are sitting correctly on the piano bench. Your feet will be flat on the floor with your big toes lined up directly with the left and right pedals of your piano. To use a pedal, you can move your front foot forward and place the ball of it on the rounded end of the pedal.

Be sure to pivot down in a smooth motion so that your heel remains on the ground; otherwise you may create an unwanted noise when releasing or hitting the bottom endpoint too quickly.

Generally speaking, you'll use your right foot for the sustain pedal, and your left foot for both the soft pedal and sostenuto pedals. You can experiment with each of them to better understand how they alter the sound.

Common techniques involving sustain pedals include delayed pedaling (pressing after notes have been played), half-pedaling (where only lightly touching strings), preliminary pedaling (before playing notes), and simultaneous pedaling (played with the same note or chord).

Once you've practiced using these different techniques, using piano pedals will become second nature.

Heya'll Im Oliver (Oli), I run MyDigitalPiano.com. By trade an Electrical Engineer, an owner of a piano shop. Always being asked about my recommendations for top piano, I created this site. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to reach out :)

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