A Pianist’s Guide To Using The Pedal

Looking to level up your piano playing?

This guide is your short and sweet introduction to understanding piano pedals—what they do, how they work, and why they matter.

What Are Piano Pedals?

In a nutshell, the pedal is a foot-operated lever that alters the sound of the piano, making it possible for a greater expression and control that a pianist would not be able to achieve with hands alone.

You would typically find three pedals on most pianos; the sustain pedal, soft pedal and middle pedal— each one serving a different purpose.

Although, it is more common to see only two pedals on especially beginner-level pianos, leaving out the sostenuto pedal.

A Brief History

Did you know that the earliest pianos didn’t have the familiar foot pedals we use today?

Instead, they were equipped with hand stops or knee levers to alter the sound.

These early mechanisms served a similar function—sustaining or softening notes—but they were far less convenient, often requiring the player to stop or shift position mid-performance.

It wasn’t until the late 18th century that foot-operated pedals began to appear, eventually becoming standard as piano design advanced and musical expression became more delicate.

Pedals play a vital role in shaping the piano’s tone and emotional depth.

They allow pianists to sustain notes, blend harmonies, and create smooth, connected phrases.

Without pedals—especially the sustain pedal—music would sound dry and detached, reminding me of early Baroque piano music, which relied on instruments such as the harpsichord that lacked dynamic range and natural sustain.

In modern playing, pedals are essential tools for creating resonance, atmosphere, and expressive power.

Let’s explore what each pedal does and how to use them effectively.

Sustain Pedal (Right Pedal)

The sustain pedal, often called the damper pedal, is responsible for increasing the longevity of notes even if the keys are released.

The sustain pedal does exactly what is revealed in its name, it sustains the sound.

How It Works:

In simple terms; when you press your foot down on the pedal while also pressing some keys, it lifts all the dampers off the strings, causing the notes to reverberate— regardless of whether said keys are still played or not.

Inside the piano, the damper prevents a string from continuous vibration so that once your fingers are lifted off the keys the vibration making the sound also stops.

The right pedal in essence ‘removes’ the damper allowing the strings to continue vibrating until the pedal is released.

Musical Effect:

The musical effect of this pedal is it creates a warmer, richer and resonating sound.

It also allows the pianist to smoothly transition from key to key while keeping it in legato, especially in cases when hands cannot achieve the same effect, like blending harmonies together.

On top of all that, the sustain pedal is perfect for creating a beautiful atmosphere.

Although the sustain pedal is as useful as it sounds beautiful, an overuse of it can blur melodies and harmonies— losing the music in the sound.

Thus, it is important to use it with care.

A common mistake I see often (and sometimes do!) is pressing the foot down at the wrong time when timing is everything.

To avoid this, simply press the pedal down after playing a note or chord, and only release it when the next note or chord is played.

Soft Pedal (Left Pedal)

Also known as the Una Corda Pedal, the Soft pedal lives up to its name, softening the sound by diminishing the force of impact of the hammers on the strings.

How It Works:

It works differently on a grand piano than on an upright piano.

On a grand piano, the entire keyboard and action shifts slightly to the right, resulting in the hammers striking only two strings for each note instead of its usual three.

Originally the hammer would only strike one string, hence the name una corda which means “one string”, but today it usually hits two strings.

Meanwhile on an upright piano, the hammer will move closer to the strings instead of shifting sideways.

This allows the hammer to strike the strings in a different way, leading to a quieter sound.

Musical Effect:

The musical effect of this pedal is it creates a quieter and more profound sound.

Effective use of the pedal results in a subtle but vibrant and warmer tone. The soft pedal highlights softer passages and lyrical melodies.

It is often used in impressionist and Romantic music to assist in musical expression among other things.

The soft pedal is also useful for pianists who want to reduce the volume to practise quietly, or accompany a lead singer.

Sostenuto Pedal (Middle Pedal)

Unlike the other two pedals, the sostenuto pedal’s purpose cannot be easily extracted from the name alone.

The sostenuto pedal holds notes that are already being played at the moment the pedal is pressed down, but not doing the same to notes that are played after that.

Kind of like a selective sustain pedal.

How It Works:

The way it works differs from upright to grand pianos.

For grand pianos it only sustains the notes that are held down at the time you press the pedal via keeping the said notes’ dampers lifted while the others function as normal.

This is called a true sostenuto.

Whereas on upright pianos, the middle pedal usually functions differently, like as a practise pedal that kills the sound by placing a piece of cloth (felt) between the strings and hammers, or as a bass sustain.

True sostenuto pedals are quite rare on upright pianos, especially your entry level pianos.

In the end, the main reason for using a sostenuto pedal is to sustain selected notes while others remain unaffected.

It is not often used in modern day and is also considered relatively rare due to the cost of the complex mechanism it adds to the piano.

Conclusion

The pedal is probably the most underrated component of a piano, but they are essential to expressive playing.

Knowing and understanding how each one works, and how to use it effectively, can be the key to elevating your musicality.

In short: don’t just play the piano—make it sing!