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I was wondering. Do you use the pedal in this etude or not at all?
Thanks

i would use it sparingly, but yes i think it should be used, use your best judgement

Just because Chopin did not give any pedal suggestions does not mean you should not use pedal, I think he left out these suggestions because this is a piece that needs the absolute attention of the pianist's ear. The pedal helps volume and legato in many places in the piece, if you want some suggestions on pedalling, look at the non-urtext editions such as the ones published by Schirmer or Dover.

I remember using it extensively.

Mike

I use it sparingly. I also use the soft pedal for the two little phrases in F minor just before the final cataclysmic descent. What a magnificent piece it is though ! And how seldom I hear it played with real passion.

I'd definitely suggest using pedal. Using pedal helps a lot to get the swirling, turbulent effect in the left hand that is, I think, very central to the piece. When you play this piece dry, it merely sounds like an exercise, but if you play it with pedal it sounds like a work of art. I believe Chopin intended his etudes to be works of art that serve a technical purpose.

Almost without pedal is the way to go in this piece.

Really? When I learned it, I definitely preferred the sound of the piece with pedal over the sound without. My teacher also agreed that I should make use of the pedal in this etude.

Thanks for the answers guys! Opinions are diverse but most of you seem to say to use it sparingly. The reason I was asking is I think the pedal adds poetry but it can make the left hand sound very messy.

All right, let me start over. What I meant before might not have been quite clear. The pedal, I think, adds to the surging, swirling feel of the left hand, which I think is essential to the piece. The pedal will definitely help with this; however, too much pedal can make the left hand sound messy; you're right. I guess my recommendation would be to use the pedal, but don't overdo it.

Like I mentioned before, my teacher also agreed that pedal should be used in this piece. Hope this is slightly better. I think I've been studying physics for too long; it's beginning to take its toll on my brain. Well, good luck on this piece.

Thanks for the advice
I will finish learning the piece completely and then try to determine exactly when the pedal is best used. For that I need to have a view of the piece as a whole.
This piece is great. Tempo is unbelievably fast though. The thing is like many etudes the faster it's played, the better is sounds.

hahaha, StanSteel:
i think thats a yes!

happy practicing!
you'll enjoy this piece!

until next time...

Chopin's Revolutionary Etude no. 12, op. 10 has always been one of my favorites! Everytime I play this piece, my friends tell me that they feel "revolutionized"! I feel the same way, too!