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Topic: Yamah NU-1 : Issue with Sustenato pedal  (Read 547 times)

Offline zangdaarr

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Yamah NU-1 : Issue with Sustenato pedal
on: August 13, 2022, 01:23:57 PM
Hi there,

I have an issue with my sustenato pedal, after a few bars, it starts acting like the right pedal, which ruin the effect. I am using it to maintain the bass. I also use the right pedal at the same time, except I can clean it and keep the bass.

But at some point, all notes are sustained.
Does this issue rings a bell ?

Offline quantum

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Re: Yamah NU-1 : Issue with Sustenato pedal
Reply #1 on: August 14, 2022, 07:56:21 PM
Have not played an NU-1.  However, I can describe how sostenuto works on an acoustic grand. The sostenuto pedal will keep the dampers off the strings for any keys that are held with the hand during the action of depressing the sostenuto, the dampers return to the strings once the sostenuto pedal is lifted.  A sostenuto pedal will also keep the dampers off the strings if they are being lifted by the damper pedal during the action of depressing the sostenuto, in such case the dampers will not return to the strings until the sostenuto pedal is lifted, regardless of how one manipulates the damper pedal while the sostenuteo is down. 

Example 1:
Hold note C in LH. 
With the damper pedal up, continue to hold the note C while depressing sostenuto.
Release LH from note C, while continuing to hold sostenuto down. 
The note C will have its dampers held up by sostenuto mechanism.
One is then free to play any other keys and use the damper pedal.  The damper pedal will work on all keys except the damper of the note C which is being held by sostenuto.
Releaseing the sostenuto pedal will release the damper on note C.

Example 2:
Do not hold any keys down with hands.
Depress the damper pedal and hold down.
While holding the damper pedal down, depress the sostenuto pedal.
Release the damper pedal, while continuing to hold sostenuto down.
Play keys with hands and try to clear harmony with damper pedal. 
Notice that the dampers do not do anything, that is because every damper on the piano is being held up by the sostenuto pedal. 
Release the sostenuto pedal to return the dampers to normal operation.


If you are attempting to use both the sostenuto and damper pedals at the same time, you might be catching the dampers with the sostenuto.  Depressing the sostenuto pedal while the damper pedal is down makes it active on all dampers in the piano.  It is roughly equivalent to holding all keys down with your forearms and depressing the sostenuto. 

Using both sostenuto and damper pedals together in a piece of music requires much finer coordination than using them individually, especially if you have intricate sostenuto pedalling. 
Made a Liszt. Need new Handel's for Soler panel & Alkan foil. Will Faure Stein on the way to pick up Mendels' sohn. Josquin get Wolfgangs Schu with Clara. Gone Chopin, I'll be Bach
 

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