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Along the lines of jgoo's other thread, where do you all put your feet when you are playing the piano? I'm not sure I have ever actually been told how to sit/place my feet when I played, so I wonder if I've been doing wrong these past 37 years... Jodi

On the pedals when I need them, of course, but when playing Bach (or other pieces with no/less pedal) I place them wider than hip width apart - for the best support - and with the feet just slightly further away from me than if I was keeping the knees bent 90 degrees. I hope that made sense - hard to explain!

A good tip on using the "sustain" pedal is to keep it depressed just to the point before it starts to lift the dampers. That way you make less noise with it during a performance and with practice you get finer control of pedaling and half pedaling.

One of many excellent tips from James Boyk's web page.

When not using the soft pedal, my left foot is back with only my toes resting on the floor -- kinda' like a runner on his mark. That forces me to sit up straight & allows me to move quickly as necessary for extreme reaches.

I agree with Diarmuid, my right foot is always in contact with the damper pedal.

_Brad

"Where do your feet go?"

Jodi, how long HAVE you been driving?

I always have my right foot on the sustain pedal. My left foot usually doesn't rest on the una corda pedal but on the floor. I only place it on the pedal when I need it.

My left foot seems to usually wind up tucked under the bench in some precarious position. Sometimes it finds its way wrapped around the left front leg of the piano bench!

The right is always on the sustain pedal, even for pieces not requiring it. There's a flat spot worn into the carpet between the sustain and middle (muffler) pedal on our upright, where our collective heels always seem to dig in. Kind of like gas & brake in a car.

Jamie

Diarmuid2,

I saw your mention of the James Boyk site, which was unknown to me. Just checked it out and it looks like a great site. Thanks for the tip.

Dolly

Sometimes posture isn't that important:

One of the best students one of my teachers ever had would sway her torso in large circles while playing to the extent that her left foot would come off the floor as she swooped to the right. No-one ever told her "Don't do that!" out of fear of messing her up!

In harpsichord days, Couperin advocated sitting much like Little Richard does today, with the right foot and body turned toward the audience. (I guess Little Richard damper pedals with the left foot?)

Pleasure Dolly. I really like the site too.

I'm the same as mrenaud. The right pedal is usually used to some extent in most playing so my right foot remains on it. Generally speaking I prefer to control volume by touch rather than with the left pedal, which thins the sound, so I just bring my left foot up on the occasions which really need it.

...oddly enough, I actually use a rear car mat under the pedals & my feet to prevent that "worn heel spot" on the carpet! (The previous piano location still has the worn spot even though the piano is no longer there...)

I cut pieces of thick felt into pedal shapes and sew them together to form bags to cover the pedals. I play with bare feet for about five months of the year and felt feels better than brass. Also, it's surprising how quickly brass wears away with the constant pressure of hard shoes.

I have a car mat under my heels too.

I apologize beforehand for the levity, ....I am picking up some good information here, but I've been stuck here alone for 5 days with a sick/whining 8 year old, so, .... I began thinking,

Do you feet hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot?
Or lean in on your toes?
Can you pedal with your bunions,
Or in shoes with worn-out soles?
Do your feet hang low?

Is your Right foot forward,
And your Left foot back?
Do you use a persian carpet,
Or a rear car mat?
It doesn't really matter,
Having just said that...
But, do your feet hang low?

Okay, I'll leave. I think I'll go stir his chicken soup now.

lol, Katie. That was pretty good. And I even picked up on the tune right away!

My left foot is always wrapped around the bench leg. I guess I won't fall off that way. I've had my little Baldwin M for 6 months now and notice that if I pedal with a bare foot, I can feel different notes vibrating with my foot at different frequencies. I can't do anything with that info yet,,,,,,

Katie,
Thanks for that levity! This is one of the reasons why I enjoy this forum. It is better than most of what is on TV!!

Katie,

I'm gonna blame you if that tune gets stuck in my head!

-- Chris

Very funny, Katie!! I have a small persian rug under my pedals to keep the carpet from getting heel marks. And, I've always played with my right foot on the pedal, and my left foot back, but I just wondered if real players (one's who are capable of actually USING the una chorda pedal smoothly, not to mention that other one) always played with their left foot up there and ready. Jodi

My feet are usually resting on (not pressing), the sustain and the una corda at all time even when I'm not using them.

That is when I'm not sitting with my right foot on the sustain and crossed over my left leg which is pushed to the right. Everyone teases me when I pedal crossed-legged. I only do it when I'm tired, and never when performing.