For most people, the keyboard is the first thing they notice about a piano, but there are also two or three foot pedals present down below.
Damper Pedal
Starting out on the right, there is the damper pedal. This pedal is in control of the dampers present inside the piano. Dampers are little felt pads that rest on the metal strings present inside the piano. When a piano key is pressed, the individual damper for that respective key is raised, allowing the piano strings to vibrate and make a sound. When the key is released, the damper again presses against the strings and the sound stops. But if the damper pedal is pressed, all the dampers are lifted and every note that is played will continue making a sound even when the key is not being pressed.
The damper pedal can make a beautiful and resonant sound as it allows the notes to blend together with each other, but if too many notes are played together, the sound might get messy. This is the reason why pianists hold down the damper pedal for only a few notes and then lift their foot to “clear” the sound before pressing the damper pedal again. The damper mechanism could be observed by taking a peek inside the piano and pressing and releasing the damper pedal.
The sustain pedal is also used most frequently on the piano. Once a person has learned how to use this pedal, they will incorporate it in most of their piano playing. Initially, many people believe that holding down the sustain pedal results in making the sound of the piano louder. Generally, when a person plays a particular key of the piano without holding the sustain pedal down, the sound stops immediately after the key is released. However, when the sustain pedal is down, the strings can continue to vibrate until the pedal has been released and until the sound naturally dies down. This creates the illusion of loudness, while in reality, it is the continuing vibration of the strings that creates a bigger or fuller sound.
The major advantage related to the use of the sustain pedal is that this pedal allows the pianist to create a fluid and connected sound. The pianist can move his or her hands all around the keyboard without the disconnection of the sound or the sound coming off as choppy. Another significant feature related to the use of the sustain pedal is that it allows several harmonious overtones to sound. For instance, when a low C is played with the sustain pedal down, several other pitches will also vibrate.
Even if the sound of these pitches is extremely subtle, you’ll certainly notice if they were lacking. It provides a rich and unique sound to the piano. Learning to play with the sustain pedal requires learning specific techniques over time. In the beginning, a person may feel clumsy when using the pedal. It can be difficult in the beginning to split your attention between what is being done by our hands, and at the same time, to coordinate your foot movement. However, as it is the case with coordinating your left and right hands at the piano, with some practice, it also becomes second nature.
The Soft Pedal Or Una Corda
On the very left, the soft pedal could be found which is technically known as the una corda. As the pedal’s informal name suggests, it makes the sound of piano softer. In a grand piano, it shifts the hammers slightly so that only one string is struck for each note (una corda stands for one string). In an upright piano, it moves the hammers close to the strings. As a result, the hammers couldn’t be stroked as hard. The soft pedal could be used when the pianist wants the piano to be a little quieter for example while accompanying a singer or while practicing early in the morning.
Center Pedal
Depending on the type of piano, there are several different functions of the center pedal. For example, in certain grand pianos, the center channel acts as the sostenuto pedal. In such a case, it is like a selective sustain pedal. Therefore, if you hold down a note and you press the sostenuto pedal, the road will continue to sound even if you have lifted your finger, but all the notes played by you afterward will last only as long as you hold them down. As such, it is a way to hold out along the note or a chord when your hands are busy playing other notes.
In certain upright pianos, the center pedal lowers the feeling of a particular piece between the hammers and the string, due to which the sound becomes very soft and muffled. In such a case, the pedal is sometimes also known as a ‘practice pedal’, which is done presumably to allow a person to practice the piano, and at the same time, not disturb others. Similarly, still, there are other panels that have no center pedal at all, or if they have a center pedal, it is only for show and the pedal does not do anything.
How To Pedal
In order to play correctly, you should rest your heel on the ground and then set the ball of your foot on these pedals. You should firmly lower the ball of your foot, but it should not be done too quickly. Similarly, you should not stomp on the pedal, and it should not be pressed down too hard. In order to release the pedal, you should keep your heel on the ground and then lift the ball of your foot in timekeeping in contact with the pedal in order to ensure that it does not sound when you release it.
If you want to experiment with the sound of the damper pedal, you should try holding it down when you’re playing. If you are an advanced player, or if you really want to learn the nuances of piano pedals, there are certain pieces that can help you, such as “Listen for Bells.”
Kids And Pedals
Another issue is that there are a number of young children who are too short to reach these pedals, and at the same time, maintain a good piano posture. Therefore, many teachers don’t make their students use these pedals regularly until they are nearly 10 years old.
If you want your child to start the use of these pedals at an earlier age, you can go for piano-pedal extenders. Even if these are somewhat expensive, they fit perfectly well on the piano pedals. These extenders create a pedal mechanism that can be used by younger kids to successfully use the piano pedals.
Conclusion
Here we provided you basic information regarding the types and usage of piano pedals. For more information regarding the issues surrounding piano learning, explore our other posts.
