Group 2

Richard Littlewood Interesting question for me as well.

Since I hardly ever use the left pedal, I generally use the left leg/foot to "anchor" myself when I play normally ... so finding myself losing a bit of the balance sometimes when using the left foot to pedal.

Richard Littlewood great question! I think every pianist will have a slightly different answer/preference, since we all have individual bodies! However, here are some ideas to play around with:

1. You can definitely have your left foot gently resting on top of the left pedal, especially if your pedals are calibrated correctly. If you are playing an electronic instrument or an instrument that needs a little TLC, sometimes the pedals are a bit more finicky and it is hard to rest your foot without the pedal pressing down, but this should typically not be an issue on any acoustic instrument that is appropriately calibrated. Some musicians like this posture even in playing pieces that do not call for soft pedal. 

2. You bring up a great larger point of "paying attention to where my left foot is." I think the placement of the left foot can be a great asset in refining your balance and technique for a multitude of repertoire. It will depend a lot on the type of repertoire you are playing, where your bench is situated, your height, etc. The placement of my left foot changes, depending on the "balance" needs I have for different repertoire. 

For example:

If I am playing a highly technical piece that requires a lot of time spent at the extremities of the instrument, I find my left foot can be farther back towards the bench, to provide a counterbalance to my torso. Sometimes, when I am playing jazz, I find myself sitting more bow-legged, almost like an extended yoga "butterfly stretch," which, for me, seems to help remind my body to use more weight distribution in a more centric way. 

3. Also experiment with HOW your foot is placed on the floor, not just where. Are you balanced on a flat foot? On your heel? On your toes? On the side of your foot? All these different placements also influence the balance in your body and can significantly influence your comfort level and poise while playing. 

In short, there is not one right answer! I've worked with many of my students on this very topic and everyone comes up with a unique solution that achieves the same goal. This is a great opportunity for you to explore how different placements of your left foot can influence your balance and technical ability. Happy to discuss more in the live class next week :) 

Juan Carlos Olite It sounds good to me on the recording ... I think the soft pedal makes the section feels more introspective.

Priya Viseskul Yes, that's right, thank you Priya. It's a matter of getting into the habit of using it more often.

Juan Carlos Olite I think you make a great point about interpreter vs. listener. I think it takes a lot of practice and experience to learn how to listen as an audience member while playing. After all, as a performer, there is a LOT going on in one's brain, so it is challenging to listen objectively as an "outsider" when you have perceptions of how you want to play/how it feels physically, etc. 

As a student, I was given a great practice drill for this skill. While playing, imagine you can focus your ear exclusively on different parts of the piano. Try to ONLY listen to the sound that is at the very far end of the piano. Now try to listen ONLY to the sound that is coming from under the music stand. Definitely an abstract practice method, but by focusing my attention on a part of the instrument other than the keys/pedals, it allowed me to practice focusing my attention and ear on different parts of the room. All very relevant to exploring the new colors that the left pedal can offer. 

Juan Carlos Olite Firstly, really enjoyed your playing, thank you, and I must agree with you that with the pedal it was darker, maybe the whole dynamic range, except for being lowered was also narrowed down...

Roy Thank you very much, Roy!

Dr. Leann Osterkamp He Thank you so much! I'll follow your advice. Focus my ear attention on different partes of the piano and the room, I find it very stimulating, yes!

Priya Viseskul Great observations! I think that, unfortunately, some electric pianos do somewhat distort the intention/sound quality of the left pedal. I think it is fair to say that, on some electric pianos, one would choose to avoid using the left pedal, simply because the predetermined sounds do not function in the same manner as an acoustic left pedal. 

I think you might find it easier to transition with the pedal on an acoustic instrument. It can be a challenge with electric instruments, when the predetermined sound for left pedal is more on the extreme side. I think you handled it well! Definitely keep the intention of the left pedal in mind, just being aware that every instrument, electric or acoustic, is different and has its own unique limitations. 

Richard Littlewood nice work! Sometimes if we are "overplaying" a section, meaning that we have too much sound accumulation with too many voices being too equal, our ear will try to "autocorrect" by trying to rush through a section. I think what you were reacting to is that, when using the left pedal, you had a cleaner sound with a more RH focused voicing. That enabled you to have more time musically, as the ear, instead of just hearing a string of notes, was drawn to the vocal phrasing of the RH, which includes more breathing. 

Rosamond nice work! Sometimes when we add new things, like a new pedal, it can throw off our abilities temporarily on other techniques (like the right pedal). That is the fun part of piano, learning how to do so many independent things all simultaneously! Personally, I think you could start your crescendo earlier and come off the soft pedal sooner... but there are lots of interpretations :) 

Thanks for playing this Impromptu Op.142 No.2 in complete version. Those passages were played smoothly generally and its flows in appropriate manner. On top of that, really enjoyed those passages which added with the left pedal. Thanks again. 

Juan Carlos Olite thank you for such a passionate and beautiful performance of this piece. It is one of my favorites!

Wonderful job on your interpretation/usage of left pedal. I think, aside from the mentioned color changes and characters, the tone shifts it provided really allowed your larger structure to unfold. It helped more clearly define sections and ends of phrases, allowing the listener to have to "work less" to understand the structure. Very sophisticated! 

Dr. Leann Osterkamp He Thank you so much for your kind words and advice! I've really enjoyed a lot your assignments and remarks! Thank you!

CK Lau Thank you very much, CK! I love Schubert music!

Juan Carlos Olite Wonderfully played  I feel adding the left pedal as you did lends much warmth and gentleness to the piece.

Priya Viseskul Thank you so much, Priya! Definitely we should use the left pedal more often .

Juan Carlos Olite Beautiful, beautiful Schubert! You found the perfect moments for the left  pedal too.