Pedals
Pianos have had pedals, or some close equivalent, since the earliest days.
Most grand pianos in the US have theree pedals: the soft pedal (una corda), sostenuto, and sustain pedal (from left to right), while in Eurpoe, the standard is two pedals: the soft pedal and the sustain pedal.
The sustain pedal (or, damper pedal) it is the most frequently used. It is the rightmost pedal in the group. It lifts the dampers from all strings, sustaining played notes. In addititon, it broadens the overall tone by allowing all strings, including those not directly played, to reverberate sympathetically.
The soft pedal or una corda pedal is placed leftmost int he row of pedals. In grand pianos it shifts the entire action/keyborard assembly to the right so that the hammers hit two of the three strings for each note. The effect is to soften the note as well as change the tone.
In upright pianos this action is not possible, instead the pedal moves the hammers closer to the strings, allowing the hammers to strike with less kinetic energy. This produces a slightly softer sound, but no change in timbre.
On grand pianos, the middle pedal is usually a sostenuto pedal. This pedal keeps raised any damper already raised at the moment the pedal is depressed. This makes it possible to sustain selected notes (by depressing the sostenuto pedal before those notes are released) while the player’s hands are free to play additional notes (which don’t sustain). On many upright pianos, the middle pedal is called the „practice” or celeste pedal. This drops a piece of felt between the hammers and strings, greatly muting the sounds. This pedal can be shifted while depressed, into a „locking” position.
Some piano companies have included extra pedals other than the standard two or three. On the Stuart and Sons piano as well as the largest Fazioli piano, there is a fourth pedal to the left of the principal three. This fourth pedal works in the same way as the soft pedal of an upright piano, moving the hammers closer to the strings.
