What foot for the sustenuto pedal?

[preludium]

What can you do if you've got only 2 feet but 3 pedals? I tend to use the right foot for sustenuto, but every now and then you need to press both the sustenuto and the damper pedal at the same time, so I have to switch, which is confusing. Using the left foot for sustenuto feels strange anyway, because when driving the middle pedal is the brake. I think rallye drivers use that technique for drifting around corners. Actually I sit a bit left from the middle of the piano, just a few centimeters, but it's enough to make me feel as if the right leg has grown for the sustenuto.

[pianowolfi]

Usually for the middle (sostenuto) pedal one takes the left foot.

[preludium]

Ok, but what is "usually"? My teacher has an upright that doesn't allow for half the dynamics I get from my digital. So I would have to use the una corda during the lessons every now and then to come close to how I practiced, which means I'd have to reserve the left foot for it. Until now I just accepted the lack of dynamics on the upright, even though it's unsatisfactory. On the other hand, if I tried a different "footing" during lessons I'd probably screw up the whole piece. I suppose quick adaption to different instruments is a necessary skill that has to be learned like any other and this may include spontaneous change of the pedaling. From this point of view it would be wise to start with it as soon as possible.

[pianowolfi]

Yes, that's the problem. You can't use middle sostenuto and u.c. at the same time without acrobatic efforts.

[counterpoint]

Yes, that's the problem. You can't use middle sostenuto and u.c. at the same time without acrobatic efforts.

Is there anyone who uses the una corda pedal?

I never used it.

So I did not have a problem using the sostenuto pedal -

if I had one 

[ihatepop]

Get a very considerate friend to press it for you.

Is there anyone who uses the una corda pedal?

Yep. I use it when playing Chopn Nocturne Op9 No2.

ihatepop

[pianowelsh]

It depends which feet/pedals your allready depressing.  I have seen pianist use all three simultaneously to hold down a chord and then play soft and with flutter pedalling in the mid register.. looked impossibly hard and was quite likely unnecessary but can be done.   i think porbably its most often taken with the LH simply because in the repertoire it tends to come into play when the textures are thick and chordall. Which means after youve whacked down your bass note you then need to pedal chords/octaves in the upper registers.

[pianowolfi]

Is there anyone who uses the una corda pedal?

Yes I use it very often. I could definitely not live without it.