Questions tagged [keyboard-pedals]

For questions pertaining to the use and history of keyboard pedals, including but not limited to the sustain pedal, the sostenuto pedal, and the piano pedal. Please do not use the pedal tag.

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21 votes
4 answers
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Why does the pedal sign look like “Leo”?

I play piano. I took Trinity College London grade 6 practical and finished my theory course. I still don't understand why the Pedal sign looks like the word “Leo”. Could someone tell me why "Leo&...
MyMor12's user avatar
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22 votes
3 answers
7k views

On the piano, how should you play staccato with the pedal?

In some pieces, there is a pedal designation along with staccato. How should this be played?
xpda's user avatar
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26 votes
3 answers
64k views

With regards to piano sheet music, when are you supposed to press the pedal(s)?

I've been playing piano for about 8 months. I have a digital weighted 88-key piano with only one pedal. My friend, who used to play piano, taught me to hold the pedal down when there is an arc in ...
Ryan's user avatar
  • 977
10 votes
2 answers
357 views

Unusual Pedal(?) Marking, Hungarian Dance No.5 Arr. Merle J Isaac

Not too sure what the markings from 77-81 and 83-87 are asking for, my instructor thought some sort of pedal marking but we weren’t really sure what it was specifically asking for, and we don’t have a ...
Nowakbren119's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
22k views

Piano sustains when the pedal is not pressed

I noticed this on a piano I played recently - a small amount of sustain with no pedal and much more with it pressed. It wasn't unpleasant, actually, but is it likely to be: A feature of the piano A ...
Mr. Boy's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
803 views

Understanding the ending of Debussy's La fille aux cheveux de lin

La fille aux cheveux de lin has a lot of confusingly written parts, but I'm completely stumped by the ending: I just have no idea about the rests and how I'm supposed to play them. Does it mean ...
user41304's user avatar
18 votes
7 answers
12k views

How often is the Sostenuto pedal used in classical and modern Piano Music?

In most of the pianos that we see today, the Sostenuto pedal does not exist. Only the pianissimo (una corda) and the sustain (damper) pedals can be seen. Throughout the time that I've been studying ...
ViviRukisha's user avatar
16 votes
3 answers
4k views

What does a straight line followed by a sharp point mean in a piano score when under notes?

I've attached a picture of the music sheet I am learning that has a music notation that I do not know and would like to get some help to understand what it means. The music notation is on the first ...
T. Nguyen's user avatar
  • 225
11 votes
2 answers
445 views

What is the most common highest key with a damper?

On my old Steinway, the lowest key that doesn’t have a damper is the second-highest E. On a Bösendorfer I got to play recently, I noticed that the highest key without one was (I believe) the second-...
Stormblessed's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
1k views

How often is the soft pedal used in piano scores?

I've been playing the piano for a long time, but I don't ever recall seeing any piece of music call explicitly for the soft pedal. Some digital pianos and keyboards don't even have one. I know there ...
Peter Bloomfield's user avatar
9 votes
6 answers
6k views

Is it orthodox to use the pedal when playing Bach on the piano?

It is my understanding that Bach's keyboard works were written for the harpsichord, and thus no (damper) pedal is used while playing Bach on the harpsichord. On the piano however, I have heard ...
Tyler Gaona's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
11k views

Pedaling in Satie's Gymnopedie #1

I'm an adult piano novice learning Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1. The edition I'm working with has no pedal markings. You can see the score here: http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/3/38/...
chapka's user avatar
  • 294
7 votes
2 answers
3k views

Piano music - should I truly not use the sustain pedal in places not marked so?

This is especially rampant in romantic piano music and later. There are places that pedals are marked, and places where they are not marked. I understand if it's a predominantly staccato passage when ...
Mickael Caruso's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
1k views

How accurate are the pedal indications of Bach - Busoni, solo piano works?

In the massive edition of Bach's solo piano works by Ferruccio Busoni with the complete name of Busoni-Ausgabe (Klavierwerke) in 25 volumes (Joh. Seb. Bach. Klavierwerke unter Mitwirkung von Egon ...
Libera Me's user avatar
  • 318
6 votes
4 answers
5k views

The proper way to mark sustain pedal for MuseScore playback and live performer?

Thanks in advance for your help here. I am very new to music theory and notation. As such, I may struggle with your reply if it has a lot of musical vocab. I'm using a great free music notation ...
fsgregs's user avatar
  • 171
5 votes
2 answers
1k views

Pedaling in La fille aux cheveux de lin

Throughout this piece, Debussy writes that certain notes are to be extended from measure to measure, e.g., but there's a problem here. Note that I'm a beginner on piano. My hands aren't insanely ...
Clarinetist's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
398 views

When piano pedalling seems to conflict with the original score

This is from Burgmüller's "Harmony of the Angels", Op. 100 No. 21, edited by Ingrid Jacobson Clarfield. I'm wondering about the difference between the green and red blocks. Doesn't the ...
leonbloy's user avatar
  • 1,232
4 votes
2 answers
1k views

Should I use the sustain pedal when playing Bach fugues? [duplicate]

I'm Practicing Bach Prelude & Fugue in D . There is no pedal markings since it from Baroque eras , but i found in Youtube many Concert pianist Performing Fugue with Sustain Pedals. Am working for ...
Rajesh's user avatar
  • 41
4 votes
1 answer
175 views

How do you learn pedals?

I'd like to learn Prokofiev's "Montagues and Capulets", but the bass needs some pretty advanced pedaling, and I have not experience with that. I know what the pedals do, but I'm no good at ...
The Nuckster's user avatar
4 votes
4 answers
1k views

Should I connect the top melody of the "Moonlight" Sonata 1st mvmt using my fingers?

I'm a beginner piano player and have started learning the 1st movement of Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata. I've read many suggestions, and almost all recommend connecting the top melody (ta ...
user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
997 views

How do you play the middle D and F in this passage?

This is from a piano song called "Jane's Song" by Christopher Norton. There are two whole notes that are held for the entire measure, but the left hand is also holding a note way into the bass and ...
Michael Stachowsky's user avatar