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Pedal
Damper Pedal (Right Pedal)
• The operation principle of the grand piano damper pedal is identical to that of the upright piano.
• There are performance techniques called "half pedal" and "quarter pedal" which achieve a very subtle control of the damper effect by depressing the pedal only partially.
• In order to achieve this precision, the pedals must be adjusted very carefully by highly trained technicians.
Shift Pedal (Left Pedal, Also Called "Soft Pedal")
• The left pedal of grand pianos shifts the entire action assembly to the right. Hammers that were striking three stings will now strike only two, and those hammers striking less than three strings will strike the same number as before, but with a different area on the surface of the hammer. In addition, the soft pedal can move the action any fractional amount of its total travel, and hold the action in that position for the musical opportunities possible there.
• In general, when the shift pedal is used, the hammers will be impacting the strings using areas that are generally not so employed. By careful and skilled voicing subtle variations can be added to the tone.
Sostenuto Pedal
• Pressing the sostenuto (centre) pedal after playing a key (or keys) will keep the damper of that key (or keys) released from the strings, even after the key(s) have been released.
The piano has been described as a complete orchestra with many different instruments playing melody, harmony and rhythm. The pedals allow the pianist to be the conductor of this orchestra. The right pedal is the command to have all the instruments play simultaneously, the shift pedal directs the orchestra to play softly, and with different tone coloration. The sostenuto pedal is used when the conductor wants an instrument (like a French horn) to sustain and penetrate through while the other instruments are playing a staccato embellishment.
Damper Pedal (Right Pedal)
• The operation principle of the grand piano damper pedal is identical to that of the upright piano.
• There are performance techniques called "half pedal" and "quarter pedal" which achieve a very subtle control of the damper effect by depressing the pedal only partially.
• In order to achieve this precision, the pedals must be adjusted very carefully by highly trained technicians.
Shift Pedal (Left Pedal, Also Called "Soft Pedal")
• The left pedal of grand pianos shifts the entire action assembly to the right. Hammers that were striking three stings will now strike only two, and those hammers striking less than three strings will strike the same number as before, but with a different area on the surface of the hammer. In addition, the soft pedal can move the action any fractional amount of its total travel, and hold the action in that position for the musical opportunities possible there.
• In general, when the shift pedal is used, the hammers will be impacting the strings using areas that are generally not so employed. By careful and skilled voicing subtle variations can be added to the tone.
Sostenuto Pedal
• Pressing the sostenuto (centre) pedal after playing a key (or keys) will keep the damper of that key (or keys) released from the strings, even after the key(s) have been released.
The piano has been described as a complete orchestra with many different instruments playing melody, harmony and rhythm. The pedals allow the pianist to be the conductor of this orchestra. The right pedal is the command to have all the instruments play simultaneously, the shift pedal directs the orchestra to play softly, and with different tone coloration. The sostenuto pedal is used when the conductor wants an instrument (like a French horn) to sustain and penetrate through while the other instruments are playing a staccato embellishment.
