Topmusicanswers
- When should I use the soft pedal?
- What is the soft pedal used for on the piano?
- Do I need a soft pedal?
When should I use the soft pedal?
New pianos are a bit different as they have three strings for each note for most notes of the piano. So, when you press the soft pedal it will move the hammers over and they won't strike the strings in the middle of the hammers, so it produces a mellower tone. True una corda or soft-pedals only exist on grand pianos.
What is the soft pedal used for on the piano?
Soft pedal aka “una corda pedal” (left)
On a grand piano, the una corda pedal shifts the entire mechanism to the right, so the hammer only hits two of the three strings. The resulting note is softer. Also, since the strings are hit by a different part of the hammer, the sound is muted and less bright.
Do I need a soft pedal?
The second (“soft”) pedal is fairly helpful, mainly for giving your son the right general foot positions, but is not so essential — while it is fairly commonly used, there is not so much subtlety in its use, at least in early and mid stages of playing, so it should not be hard for your son to pick up later.
