Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner My notes sounds meshed together. Pedal question.

I've been trying to play "Wicked Game" transcribed by vkgoeswild. With this song, and almost all of my playing, I find it hard to separate the melody from the left hand. Part of it I think is because it's very hard for me to play the right hand louder while not banging on the left hand too.

Another reason I think is that I have no idea when to use the pedal on music unless it tells me. I do it quite randomly, I think more to the beat of the music.I think I remember my music teacher saying at the beginning of every chord change, but even then a lot of times it sounds like things are meshed together when they shouldn't be.

Does anybody know when pedal should be used and advice to accent melody notes without accenting on your left too?

I have 1 page from the song if it helps to look at it to explain where to use the pedal. [img]http://img809.imageshack.us/f/wickedgame1.png/[/img]

One thing I would suggest, at least while you're practicing this piece, is not to try making the right hand louder than the left, but try making the left hand softer than the right. You might be working too hard in the "wrong direction," as it were.

Pedal technique is something that takes a lot of skill and practice, so don't be too concerned if you are finding it difficult at first. The best skill you can develop is to listen closely to what comes out of the piano and adjust your pedal use accordingly. Because all pianos vary with their length of sustain, it's not always practical to give hard and fast rules for any particular piece; let your ear be your guide to the kind of sound you want to produce.

That said, you certainly don't want to hold down the damper pedal when the chord harmony - particularly in the left hand - changes. So when there is a change of harmony make sure you change your pedal.

Regards,

One trick to master with the pedal is to pump it in phrasing "bursts" in order to break up the sustain, not so much that you're breaking the sustain altogether, but enough to cause separation. There's a knack to snapping the pedal up and back again, instead of just stomping on it like a brake or accelerator-pedal. Also, get used to paying attention to the degree of pedal you're using. Try using a lighter touch so that the pedal is barely activated.

I don't know what it is, but pedal-work seems barely taught these day.

Beyond the earliest levels of playing, where the pedaling is down at the start of a bar and up and down at the start of the next bar, more to give the student a general feel for the pedal and some practice in using it than anything else, pedaling is all ad lib by ear for the best resulting sound.

There is no set pattern for pedaling beyond the beginner's level. It will vary depending on the particular passage being playing, the player's current level of skill, the particular instrument being used, the individual's interpretation of the music, the audience he's playing for, and so forth. In a particular passage the pedaling can be anything, from flooring it and leaving it down, to pedaling on every beat, to no pedal at all, etc. Sometimes the music itself will determine what you can do in the way of pedaling. In very difficult passages it may not be humanly possible to pedal and play at the same time, and then you'll have to do without the pedal.

No two players will pedal the same way, indeed they should not, since their skill and interpretation will surely be different, which necessitates different pedaling for the same music. And following the pedal marks on sheet music is ridiculous. Ignore all pedal marks on scores and pedal by ear.

Then there is this thing about "half-pedaling." This, in my view, is nothing more than lazy, slovenly pedaling. It's all the way down upon engagement and all the way up upon release of the pedal.

Yeah, right! (as they say)

Indeed, it takes a lot more control, judgment and finesse to use half pedaling, when it is required, so I don't see where "lazy" comes into the question.

I do agree, however, with the rest of your post which I did not quote.

Gyro: Half-pedal is a VERY important pedal technique musically speaking. One of the main purposes of half-pedalling is to clear the upper range (i.e. melody) while maintaining a smooth harmonic background (i.e. accompaniment). With all due respect, anyone who cannot recognize the musical value of half-pedalling is, in my opinion, "lazy".

I don't often say this! But, in this case, your view is misinformed and just plain WRONG!

Oh dear, I see you've had a very bad relapse again.
Keep taking the medicine, and get well soon!

That's what happens when you practise too much on a digital.

COMBO BREAKER!! (As in, breaking the combo by not quoting Gyro's post, hehe.)

Arie Vardi, a renowned piano teacher, once said something along the lines of "Pedal like nobody can tell that it is actually being used."

This is easier said than done, but really examine all the best places to use the damper pedal, and when to not use it (or half-pedal it, which IS important, NOT lazy), and when to use "finger legato" or at least hold down notes longer with your fingers instead of sustaining it with the pedal.

And listen hard for whenever you blur harmonies and try to fix them!

Half-pedaling on many DP's, if not most, is non-existent. Gyro plays a DP. Do the math!

That makes what he said even more deplorable!! He can't even produce a half-pedal and he's going to tell this poor young OP about what a terrible idea it is!!! Well, yes, Gyro: I guess you would think that half-pedalling is a "lazy" technique considering that you couldn't do it if you wanted to...