What the sustain pedal does
The right pedal on a piano, called the sustain or damper pedal, lifts the dampers off all the strings. Notes keep ringing after you release the keys, and the other strings can vibrate in sympathy, which adds warmth and resonance. Used well, it connects notes and enriches the sound. Used poorly, it blurs harmonies into a muddy wash.
Foot and ankle setup
- Keep your heel on the floor and use the ball of your foot on the pedal, pivoting from the ankle.
- Rest your foot lightly on the pedal when you are not pressing it, so you can move quickly and quietly.
- Use your right foot for the sustain pedal.
- Avoid pumping from the knee or lifting the whole leg, which can cause noise and uneven movement.
Legato pedaling
Legato, or syncopated, pedaling is the standard technique for smooth connected sound:
- Play the note or chord.
- Press the pedal down just after the notes sound.
- When the harmony changes, lift the pedal and press it down again right after you play the new notes.
The lift and the new press happen quickly, so the sound is connected but the old harmony is cleared. Practice this very slowly at first, listening for a clean change. If you press the pedal at the same instant as the key, you will often catch the end of the previous sound and blur it.
When to change the pedal
A common guideline is to change the pedal when the harmony changes. In a simple piece, that might be once per bar or once per chord. A few other cases:
- Change for clearly different bass notes.
- Change for rests or phrase endings where you want silence.
- In fast, scale-like passages, you may need fewer changes or a lighter touch to avoid smearing.
Scores sometimes include pedal markings, but older editions may leave them out, and editors differ. Trust your ears first.
Common mistakes
- Holding too long: leaving the pedal down across changing chords creates a muddy mix.
- Pedaling to hide mistakes or uneven playing: work on your fingers first. See our guide on improving piano technique.
- Noisy feet: thumps or squeaks usually mean the whole leg is moving.
- Staying on the pedal automatically: try playing without it and add it deliberately.
Half pedaling and fine control
Instruments respond differently, but pressing the pedal partway can reduce the amount of sustain or help partly clear the sound in a long passage. It requires careful listening and varies with the piano, so experiment on your own instrument. This kind of refinement belongs with other advanced piano techniques.
The three pedals
On most modern grand pianos:
- Right pedal (sustain): lifts the dampers.
- Left pedal (una corda or soft): softens and changes the tone; on grands the action shifts slightly, on uprights it usually moves the hammers closer to the strings.
- Middle pedal (sostenuto on many grands): holds only the notes that were down when the pedal was pressed. On many uprights the middle pedal is a practice pedal or has another function, so check yours (see types of upright piano).
Using a pedal on a keyboard
Most digital pianos and keyboards have a socket for a pedal. A few points:
- Many models include a basic pedal, but you can often use a third-party one.
- Check the connector size and the polarity setting of your keyboard, since some pedals work the opposite way unless the keyboard can be set accordingly.
- Look for a pedal that stays in place on the floor; lightweight ones tend to slide.
- Some keyboards and pedals support half pedaling, others only on and off. Check the manual.
Always consult your model’s manual for compatibility. If you are still choosing an instrument, see keyboard or piano for beginners.
Do not confuse the sustain pedal with the pedal tone, a held bass note in harmony, described in embellishing tones in music theory.
Practice exercises
- Single chord changes: play a chord, pedal, and change on the next chord, listening for a clean break.
- Scale with pedal changes: play slowly in the right hand, changing the pedal every note, then every few notes, to hear the difference.
- Foot only: tap the pedal in rhythm without playing to build control.
- Recording: record a short piece with and without pedal and compare.
Once pedaling feels natural, add the new skill to your intermediate exercises so it becomes part of everyday playing.