Okuzeka
Music vocabulary · Instruments and Voice

Sustain pedal

Meaning in music, with examples

nounCommon term

In music, sustain pedal means: A piano pedal that lifts the dampers from the strings so notes can continue sounding after the player releases the keys.

In Turkish: uzatma pedalı, sağ pedal

How it is used

Also called the damper pedal and usually operated by the right foot. Pianists change it with the harmony to control resonance and clarity.

Example sentences

  1. Release the sustain pedal when the harmony changes so the old chord does not blur the new one.

    Clearing the sustained strings prevents two different harmonies from overlapping too much.

  2. The pianist used the sustain pedal to connect the widely spaced chords.

    The resonance continues while the hands move to their next position.

Common collocations

  • press the sustain pedal
  • release the sustain pedal
  • sustain pedal technique
  • instrumentAn object made or used to produce musical sounds, such as a piano, violin, guitar, drum or ney.
  • chordThree or more different notes played or sung at the same time. Chords give a piece its harmony and are named after their root note and type, such as C major or A minor.
  • harmonyThe sound of different notes heard together, and the way chords are built and connected. It also means a second vocal line sung above or below the melody.

More terms: Instruments and Voice

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