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Maybe I am wrong, I thought the hand foot motion are not at the same time? Almost the same time, but not exactly the same time?

Depends on the kind of pedaling you're doing. This obviously doesn't work for syncopated pedaling.

Hmm...yeah. This is exactly the kind of problem/motion that I'm trying to avoid.

It's been pointed out to me that since it takes time for the dampers to fall after you release the pedal, therefore if the hand - foot motion is at the same time, the damper still responds after the key mechanism responds, therefore "same time" becomes "later" for the pedal - it works out.

An oddity: In on-line pedal instructions, a lot of the female teachers seem to wear rather high, high heels. Is this functional or aesthetic? It's going to hugely affect how the foot moves at the heel.

And why do you want to avoid on-the-beat pedaling? It is used a lot in music.

Well, you might want to read a short little book, about 40 pages, on pedaling by Karl Ulrich Schnabel. Modern Technique of the Pedal. He, incidentally, is the son of Arthur Schnabel.

At any rate, I should have prefaced my remark by saying that this example is generally for slower releases on the beat or for the end of piece (primarily) or end of a major section. After all, there is nothing more confusing for an audience member to see a student end the piece, hands off the keys, and yet the piano is still playing. Or even worse, to be half standing while the piano is still singing.

Because, like I said in my original question, I'm trying to teach pedal to avoid "gaps in the sound." I'm rather confused about what teaching "finger up and foot up" has to do with this issue.

I think John is trying to explain an advanced technique, while the rest of the teachers are still dealing Piano Adventures 2B.

Keystring, I'm sorry to learn this. It's challenging enough to pedal with the control required for masterful playing, but to add this albatross seems foolish. I recommend my female students restrict their heal size so they don't lose control.

The only instance where this is helpful is if the piano is on a dolly. Otherwise, it's usually awkward, but can be overcome if you practice in the heels. A bigger concern would be the heels that are chunky on the front end (lifts?) as your foot will contact with the pedal sooner than expected. Again, practice will help, but it's not something that one should worry about when learning to pedal, for sure.

I am rather curious why these teachers demonstrate pedal in heels. I looked to see if any male teachers had some type of elevation in the heel of their shoes. I am thinking that if they are not trying to look pretty, that it may be a problem with lifting the foot because that can be done the wrong way. Or maybe if you wear heels all the time, certain ligaments are shortened. It's when the majority of on-line female teachers seemed to be in heels, that I started to get quite curious.

John v.d. Brooke mentioned in passing that the foot raises at the ankle. That is a very important point, because that is the actual point of movement rather than the heel. Apparently knowing this can fix a lot of discomfort that some people have. This simple act of raising and lowering the foot over and over can cause back discomfort which can creep into the shoulders and arms. Knowing all this is why the heels caught my attention.

That is very true.

Let's stick with what the OP is facing now and how to help her in her situation instead of going too far advanced and confusing.

By the way, I will check out the resources that John pointed out. Thank you again John for sharing.

I understand your point, but what I was hinting at was that there are multiple pedal techniques, and learning to lift the pedal on the beat should be taught simultaneously with syncopated techniques. There is no reason for a student to end a piece with the pedal and hand not synchronized. It can be effectively taught very early on, after just a few lessons, really. And it's a great way to teach student to lead off the keys with their wrists at the end of a phrase. Perhaps if Piano Adventures tends to lead a teacher away from this, then perhaps consideration of another method is in order!