Here's how the sustain pedal works:
1. Dampers: Each piano string has a damper, a small piece of felt that rests on it. When a key is pressed, the damper is lifted off the string, allowing it to vibrate and produce a sound. When the key is released, the damper falls back onto the string, stopping the vibration and the sound.
2. Sustain Pedal: The sustain pedal is located on the right side of the piano, near the floor. When you press it, a mechanism inside the piano lifts all the dampers off the strings, regardless of which keys are pressed.
3. Sustaining Effect: With the sustain pedal depressed, all the strings that have been played will continue to vibrate, even after the keys are released. This creates a sustaining effect, where the notes blend together and create a rich, resonant sound.
4. Use in Music: The sustain pedal is widely used in piano playing to add depth and expressiveness to the music. It can be used to create legato passages, where the notes flow smoothly into each other, as well as to emphasize certain notes or chords.
5. Selective Pedaling: Experienced pianists use selective pedaling, where they carefully control when to press and release the sustain pedal to achieve specific musical effects. This involves knowing when to lift the dampers to sustain the desired notes and when to dampen the strings to create dynamic contrast.
6. Half-pedaling: Some pianos also support half-pedaling, where the pedal is depressed only partially. This allows for subtle control of the dampers, resulting in a range of sustain effects, from light and airy to full and resonant.
Overall, the sustain pedal plays a crucial role in shaping the sound and expressiveness of a piano performance, allowing pianists to create a vast range of musical effects and emotions through the music they play.