Changes

The right pedal is the "loud pedal" or "damper pedal." Normally, releasing a key causes a felt damper to press against the string so that it stops sounding. The damper pedal prevents the dampers from actuating, so that every note continues to sound until the sound decays naturally. The middle pedal is the "sustaining pedal." It affects ''only the dampers that are lifted when the pedal is engaged.'' The result is that the pianist can strike a chord, and engage the sustaining pedal; the chord will then continue to sound while freeing the pianist hand's to play other notes.

The right pedal is the "loud pedal" or "damper pedal." Normally, releasing a key causes a felt damper to press against the string so that it stops sounding. The damper pedal prevents the dampers from actuating, so that every note continues to sound until the sound decays naturally. The middle pedal is the "sustaining pedal." It affects ''only the dampers that are lifted when the pedal is engaged.'' The result is that the pianist can strike a chord, and engage the sustaining pedal; the chord will then continue to sound while freeing the pianist hand's to play other notes.

Smaller piano models may take shortcuts with the pedal functions The "soft pedal" may move the hammers closer to the strings instead of shifting them sideways. The "sustaining pedal" may simply disengage the dampers from all of the bass strings, or may be missing altogether. On some upright models, the middle pedal places a large sheet of felt over the entire set of strings, acting to dampen the sound considerably.

Smaller piano models may take shortcuts with the pedal functions. The "soft pedal" may move the hammers closer to the strings instead of shifting them sideways. The "sustaining pedal" may simply disengage the dampers from all of the bass strings, or may be missing altogether. On some upright models, the middle pedal places a large sheet of felt over the entire set of strings, acting to dampen the sound considerably.

 

On Fazioli concert grand pianos, there is a fourth pedal which moves the hammers closer or farther away from the strings, giving an entirely different sound as the ''una corda'' pedal.

==History==  

==History==