What the pedals do
Find out when and how to use the pedals
Separate pedals A great option if you play a keyboard
Many modern electronic keyboards are able to
replicate the sound of a pedal on a regular piano.
To do this the pedal is usually supplied externally.
It plugs into the keyboard and simply flicks a
switch on the MIDI keyboard. A pedal of this sort
is known as a footswitch. Keyboards can have
multiple footswitch jacks to enable you to use
multiple pedals to produce the same sounds as
the three pedals we’ve outlined above.
If you’re using a pedal with a keyboard, try to
stick to the same techniques we’ve discussed
elsewhere. As before, keep your heel on the
floor ossible(if p with your pedal) and depress
and release the pedal in a gentle manner. This
will ensure that, even when using an electronic
keyboard, you can retain the same soft or deep
sound of a pedal on a regular piano and make
your music sound all the better.Sustain
The sustain pedal continues
the sound of a note after you
have released the key, which
makes the note sound deeper,
warmer and more intenseSostenuto
This pedal allows you to
add staccato-like effects
to your playing while
sustained notes resonate
in the background©Thinkstock“Keep your heel on the floor and depress and
release the pedal in a gentle manner”
Una corda
This soft pedal
allows you to make
sounds softer and
alters the timbre of
notes so that they
sound more distantWhen to use them?
When the sustain pedal needs using, you may see
an ornate ‘Ped’ mark underneath the music. An
asterisk-like symbol is used when you need to stop
sustaining. Alternatively, there may be a direction at
the start of the music to use the pedal throughout