• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Piano Keyboard Reviews (2021)

  • Brands
    • Yamaha Keyboards
      • Yamaha Keyboard Apps
      • Where to Buy Yamaha Keyboard
      • How to Record a Yamaha Keyboard on a Computer
      • How to Fix Dead Keys on a Yamaha Keyboard?
      • DGX 650 Review
        • DGX 650 vs 660
      • DGX 660 Review
        • DGX 660 Tutorial
        • DGX 660 vs P115
      • MM8 Review
      • MO8 Review
      • Motif XS6 Review
      • NP12 Review
      • Pianica Review
      • P45B Review
      • P71 Review
      • P105 Review
      • P125 Review
        • P125 vs Roland FP-30
        • P115 vs P125
      • P255 Review
      • P515 Review
      • PSR E263 Review
        • PSR E263 vs E363
      • PSR EW410 Review
        • PSR EW410 vs EW300
      • S70XS Review
      • YDP142 Review
      • YDP181 Review
      • YDP V240 Review
      • YDP 103R Review
      • YDP 143 Arius Review
      • YDP 184 Review
      • YPG 235 Review
      • YPG 535 Review
      • YPT 240 Review
      • YPT 255 Review
    • Casio Keyboards
      • Casio Keyboard Accessories
      • Casio Keyboard Apps
      • How to Play a Casio Keyboard
      • How to Connect My Casio Keyboard to a Computer | Garage Band | Mac | Laptop | iPad | iPhone | Chromebook
      • CDP 240 Review
      • CGP 700 Review
      • CT X700 Review
        • CT X700 Tutorial
        • CT-X700 vs Yamaha PSR E363
      • CTK 4400 Review
      • CTK 2550 Review
        • CTK 2550 Tutorial
        • CTK 2550 vs 3500
      • CTK 3500 Review
        • CTK 3500 Tutorial
        • CTK 3500 vs CTX 700
      • LK 265 Review
        • LK 265 Tutorial
        • LK 265 vs CTK 3500
      • LK 280 Review
        • LK 280 vs Yamaha EZ 220
      • PX 160 Review
        • PX 160 Tutorial
        • PX 160 vs Yamaha P115
      • PX 350 Review
      • PX 750 Review
      • PX 770 Review
      • PX 870 Review
      • SA 46 Review
        • SA 46 Tutorial
        • SA 46 vs 76
      • SA 76 Review
      • WK 245 Tutorial
        • WK-245 vs Yamaha PSR-EW300
        • WK 245 vs Yamaha YPG 235
      • WK 6600 Review
    • Amazon Piano Keyboards
      • Alesis Recital 88-Key Digital Piano Review
        • Alesis Recital: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
      • Alesis Recital Pro Review
        • Alesis Recital Pro vs Yamaha P45
      • Goplus Piano Review
      • Hamzer Keyboard Review
        • Hamzer Keyboard: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
        • Hamzer Keyboard 61 Keys vs Rockjam 61 Keyboard
      • Joy Keyboard Review
      • Korg B1 Review
        • Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45
      • Korg Tiny Piano Review
      • LAGRIMA 61 Key Keyboard Review
      • LAGRIMA 88 Key Digital Piano Review
      • Plixio Keyboard Review
      • RockJam 54-Key Keyboard Review
        • RockJam Keyboards: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
        • RockJam vs Alesis
      • RockJam 61 Key Keyboard Review
      • The ONE Smart 88 Weighted Key Piano Review
      • The ONE Smart Keyboard Review
    • Roland Keyboards
      • Best Roland Keyboard
      • FP 30 Review
      • RD 2000 Review
      • Go: Keys Review
      • Juno DS88 Review
        • Juno DS88 VS Yamaha MX88
        • Juno DS88 Tutorial
      • Roland Keyboard FAQs
  • Buyer’s Guides
    • 38 Best Piano Keyboards Ranked
    • Beginner Keyboards
      • How to Buy a Keyboard Piano for a Beginner
    • Budget Keyboards
      • Where Can I Buy a Cheap Keyboard Piano?
      • How to Play Keyboard on a Budget
    • Kids Keyboards
      • How to Teach Piano to a Toddler
      • Best Piano for Toddlers
      • How to Teach Your Child to Play Piano
    • Portable Keyboards
      • How to Fly with a Portable Keyboard
    • Roll Up Keyboards
      • Where to Buy Roll Up Piano
      • Lujex 88 Keys Roll Up Piano Review
    • Weighted Keys Keyboards
      • What is a Weighted Keyboard?
      • How to Choose a Weighted Keyboard
  • Best Under $
    • Under 100 Dollars
    • Under 200 Dollars
    • Under 300 Dollars
    • Under 500 Dollars
    • Under 1000 Dollars
    • Under 2000 Dollars
  • Accessories
    • Musical Keyboard Accessories
    • Headphones
  • Lessons
    • Best Online Piano Lessons
      • FlowKey Review
      • Piano for All Review
      • Playground Sessions Review
      • Yousician Review
  • Tutorials
    • History
    • Benefits
    • Types
      • Casio vs. Yamaha
      • Digital vs Acoustic Piano
    • Selling
      • Piano Restoration Cost
      • Baby Grand Piano Cost
      • Buy a Used Piano
    • Tuning
      • Piano Tuning Cost
      • How to Clean a Piano Keyboard
      • How to Clean Piano Keys
    • Transport
      • Piano Weights
    • Parts of a Piano
      • What are Piano Keys Made Of?
      • Sustain Pedals
      • How to Fix Sticky Keys
    • What Age to Start
    • How Long to Learn
    • How to Play Keyboard
    • Learn Piano Online
    • Beginner Piano Books
    • Learn Piano Faster
    • Learn Without a Piano
    • Piano Levels
    • Learning as an Adult
    • Beginner Piano Exercises
    • Self-Taught Pianist vs Lessons
    • Piano Exercises
    • Improvise on a Piano
  • EZ 220 Tutorial
  • EZ 220 vs PSR E363
  • PSR E363 Tutorial
  • YPT 260 vs YPT 360

What Does a Sustain Pedal Do? Quick Guide for Beginners

January 4, 2021 By Maurice

What Does a Sustain Pedal Do

A sustain pedal can be a powerful tool if it's used correctly.

It allows you to put more feel and emotion into your music.

But, if you don't use it right, it can do the opposite.

Using too much of it will blend the music together and weaken the harmonies.

Fortunately, some simple tips will help you use the sustain pedal and play piano much more effectively.

This article covers everything you need to know about the sustain pedal and how to use it.


Quick Navigation
What is a Sustain Pedal?
Different Types of Sustain Pedals
How To Use a Sustain Pedal
Piano Pedaling Technique

Mistakes People Make While Using Sustain Pedals
How to Use the Sustain Pedal
Conclusion

What is a Sustain Pedal?

A sustain pedal, or damper pedal, allows pianists to sustain the sound even when they aren't holding the notes anymore. As you hold it down, those notes will keep sounding until you let off of it. This device is beneficial in slower music or when transitioning to another chord.


Let's look at the organ for a moment. This instrument has keys like a piano but no sustain pedal. Organists have to alter their technique to compensate for the lack of pedal. Though this is a classic trait of the organ, it's much more difficult to make smooth transitions without a sustain pedal.


When you move from chord to chord on a piano, your hands have to jump. Sometimes, it's a small jump, and sometimes it's a big one. As your fingers move through the air to the next chord, the sound goes away. If you don't use a sustain pedal, this silence can affect the flow of the music. When you use it, you don't need to worry about the transitions to each chord. Your jumping hands are no longer a problem. You can just hold down the pedal and release it as you play the next chord. No silence. That's why this pedal is a special tool for all pianists.

Different Types of Sustain Pedals

source

In terms of appearance, there are two different types of sustain pedals. One is a small plastic device that generally looks like a square. This type of pedal is the cheapest kind. The other type resembles a realistic pedal that looks similar to an acoustic piano's pedal. Though you can use the small plastic type, the realistic models are the most ideal for pianists. The small square models only have one level of sustain, which is 100%. Many realistic models offer several different levels of sustain, just like a real piano. You can get a lot more control by using this type. However, they're a bit pricer, which is understandable.


On top of that, they usually have a polarity switch. What's a polarity switch? It's located on the bottom of the pedal, and it allows you to switch the function. For example, some sustain pedals start out in reverse. They'll sustain when you're not holding it down and dampen when you push down. That's the opposite of what you want. This glitch happens a lot, especially if different companies make the keyboard and pedal. With a polarity switch, it's an easy fix.

How To Use a Sustain Pedal

Getting good at using this pedal takes some practice. But, in the end, your practice will be worth it.


The best way to learn how to use it is by playing chords. Write down a list of 4 chords you know how to play. Once you've done that, play the first chord. You aren't going to push down the pedal at the same time your fingers play. Play the chord, wait about a second, and then push down the pedal. Take your hands off the keys and listen to the sustained sound. When you take your foot off the pedal, all of the sound will stop.


Now, do the same thing again, except this time, play the next chord, too. Right when your fingers play the next chord, you will lift up the sustain pedal simultaneously. This technique gives you a seamless transition between the chords.

Piano Pedaling Technique

There are techniques you can use to get the most out of the pedal. The first one is flutter pedaling. In this technique, your foot constantly pushes up and down on the pedal. It creates a slight sustain but also clears the notes relatively quickly. The most common places to use it are in faster, non-legato pieces.


Another common technique is direct pedaling. This type of pedaling is arguably the easiest for beginners. You press down the pedal at the same time as you play the notes. You also release it at the same time as you release your hands. This type of pedaling only sustains the individual passage that you play.


These different techniques aren't interchangeable. They create different sounds and moods, and you can incorporate all of them as you please.

Mistakes People Make While Using Sustain Pedals

There are only two main sustain pedal mistakes: one, using it too much, and two, not using it enough. If you use the sustain pedal too much, the music becomes foggy. The harmonies and chord changes become ambiguous. Lots of times, pianists don't even realize they're using it so much.


The pedal is a tool, not a crutch. So, if you find yourself holding it down for a long time, you're likely using it too much. Laying off of it might make you feel out-in-the-open at first, but you'll immediately sound 10x better.


Not using this pedal enough can also be a problem. Slow and emotional songs almost always call for some pedal usage. If you find yourself playing a ballad, make sure to use the sustain pedal effectively. The music will flow much better, and you'll be much happier with the way it sounds.

How to Use the Sustain Pedal

Conclusion

Sustain pedals are a game-changer for pianists. Since most instruments don't have the luxury of sustaining notes, it's nice to take advantage of this great musical tool. If you follow some of the tips I included, you can become a better pianist almost immediately. So, get back on the piano bench and start using the sustain pedal!


Casio CTK 2550 Tutorial: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions

Yamaha DGX 650B Review (2021): Our Overview of Pros, Cons and Features

Alesis Recital: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Digital vs. Acoustic Piano (2021): Ultimate Guide for Beginners

Casio PX 160 Tutorial: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions

Yamaha Keyboard Reviews (2021): 6 Best Yamaha Keyboards for Beginners, with Weighted Keys, and More

Filed Under: Tutorials

Primary Sidebar

Helpful Links

  • Accessories
  • Amazon-piano-keyboards
  • Best Under $
  • Blog
  • Buyer's Guides
  • Casio Keyboards
  • Lessons
  • Piano Keyboard
  • Roland keyboards
  • Tutorials
  • Yamaha Keyboards
Piano For All

Secondary Sidebar

Piano For All

Footer

Have You Read These Yet?

  • Best Casio Keyboards 2019
  • Best Amazon Piano Keyboards 2019
Piano For All

Browse Our Content

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap
  • Buyer’s Guides
  • Best Under $
  • Tutorials
  • Accessories

Copyright © 2022 Piano Keyboard Reviews

About | Contact | Affiliate Disclosure | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy

Piano Keyboard Reviews is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.