Excellent observation. A note to pedalers:be aware of your harmonic changes in the course of a piece. Too many players lay on the pedal through the chord changes, creating musical mush! Let your pedal technique enhance your musical performance,please! I figure that the indentation in this right shoe took about 5,000 hrs of playing to make its mark......
My first post - I stumbled on your videos a few weeks ago and I am totally inspired! I find the pedal to be totally mysterious, in the musical mush category. Listening to Fats play, it almost sounds like he has the pedal on for the left foot only! I'm sure I would not be the only one who would super appreciate a dedicated "how to use the pedal" lecture. Many thanks for your wonderful videos.
Thank you for your comments....the left pedal is designed for the left foot to soften the total sound-thus it is called the "soft pedal". The sometimes over used right pedal -"sustaining pedal" is used for sustaining the tones that are being played at the moment. When the harmony changes the right pedal must be released and reapplied if needed. The middle pedal, according to the music comedian Victor Borge, is there to "separate the other two pedals".
Yes it is obscure, I meant for the left hand only - at least that what it sounds like. E.g. in the Ain't misbehavin solo the left hand sounds like he is using the pedal and the right hand sounds like he isn't. In ragtime I have tried using the pedal for each left hand base note, then release at the chord, then reapply at the next base note. It gives a much bouncier feel to the music. But this doesn't work for me with stride - or at least I'm not good at it. Any tips would be welcome! Ta
I'm going to go back and listen to Fats'cut to determine if he is using a legato approach in the left hand and stacatto in the right hand. Who knows? The pedal may not even be involved! Fats had a tremendously smooth but firm touch on the piano and made excellent use of dynamics.....
Excellent observation. A note to pedalers:be aware of your harmonic changes in the course of a piece. Too many players lay on the pedal through the chord changes, creating musical mush! Let your pedal technique enhance your musical performance,please! I figure that the indentation in this right shoe took about 5,000 hrs of playing to make its mark......
jazznbear 3 years ago
My first post - I stumbled on your videos a few weeks ago and I am totally inspired! I find the pedal to be totally mysterious, in the musical mush category. Listening to Fats play, it almost sounds like he has the pedal on for the left foot only! I'm sure I would not be the only one who would super appreciate a dedicated "how to use the pedal" lecture. Many thanks for your wonderful videos.
MrCreakin 2 years ago
Thank you for your comments....the left pedal is designed for the left foot to soften the total sound-thus it is called the "soft pedal". The sometimes over used right pedal -"sustaining pedal" is used for sustaining the tones that are being played at the moment. When the harmony changes the right pedal must be released and reapplied if needed. The middle pedal, according to the music comedian Victor Borge, is there to "separate the other two pedals".
jazznbear 2 years ago
I'm not sure what you mean by your comment that Fats has" the pedal on for the left foot only"... which pedal do you mean?
jazznbear 2 years ago
Yes it is obscure, I meant for the left hand only - at least that what it sounds like. E.g. in the Ain't misbehavin solo the left hand sounds like he is using the pedal and the right hand sounds like he isn't. In ragtime I have tried using the pedal for each left hand base note, then release at the chord, then reapply at the next base note. It gives a much bouncier feel to the music. But this doesn't work for me with stride - or at least I'm not good at it. Any tips would be welcome! Ta
MrCreakin 2 years ago
I'm going to go back and listen to Fats'cut to determine if he is using a legato approach in the left hand and stacatto in the right hand. Who knows? The pedal may not even be involved! Fats had a tremendously smooth but firm touch on the piano and made excellent use of dynamics.....
jazznbear 2 years ago
Luv your comments about pedaling. Best usage is to be almost imperceptible to the listener--just like you use it.
shubus 3 years ago