Issue #3 Notes from The Music Hub March 23, 2025

Beginning Pianist Mistake #3

This week, I'm continuing my series on mistakes beginner pianists often make.

In the picture above, someone is using the middle pedal of a piano. Is their foot positioned properly?

This person has some things correct and some things incorrect.

One thing this person got right is that both feet are in front of them, near the pedals.

Exactly where someone will place their feet while not pressing a pedal is somewhat individual since every person has different length legs. But, for the most part, you want to put your feet in front of you.

It is a bad habit to tuck the foot not being used under the bench, although this is a very easy habit to get into - I even have to check myself sometimes, and I've seen pros do it on stage!

The reason you want to avoid that habit is because sometimes you need to use more than one pedal in a piece! You don't want to suddenly come across that section where you need both feet and not have your left foot ready to go!

Another thing this person in the picture has correct is that the right heel is on the floor.

When you play use the pedal, you want your heel to be a sort of hinge that anchors your foot to the floor. Pushing the pedal down and lifting your foot off the pedal is work done by the calf.

What you don't want to do is use your quadriceps to move your entire leg on and off the pedal.

This might sound like a silly mistake, but it is something I have seen many times.

One mistake the person in the picture is doing is using their toes to press down the pedal.

Notice how the shoe is bent at the toe.

This mistake will cause pain over time because it causes strain in the toes as they are bent and using too much pressure to push down the pedal.

Instead, you want to press down the pedal with the top of the ball of your foot, just below where your toes meet the rest of your foot.

This part of your foot is much more stable and will not involve any bending in any part of the foot.

Lastly, you want your leg to be at an angle less than 90 degrees.

The person in the picture seems to be a kid or perhaps a very short adult, so they may not have been able to do this. That said, there are pedal extenders which can be used so you can easily play the pedal even if your legs are not long.

If your leg comes down from the bench at 90 degrees, it can cause calf strain when you repeatedly lift the front of your foot to play the pedal.

It's amazing how much a picture can tell you when you know what to look for?

Have you tried using the pedal while playing the piano? Most people gravitate toward trying it out right away because it creates such a big, resonant sound!

The tips I covered today are posture-focused, but there's a lot more to say about how to use the pedal.

Those tips are coming up in Lesson 24!

What's new inside the Piano Accelerator Program?

Look for Lesson 22 to drop on Wednesday! Lesson 22 is all about 16th notes. 16th notes open up a lot of new rhythmic possibilities!

The songs are super fun, including two traditional American fiddle tunes: Turkey in the Straw and Arkansas Traveler, as well as two introductory classical pieces and two original pieces.

Also! I am almost 100% done switching all my material over to Skool, which I believe has a format that's much easier to use.

Keep your eye out. I will be opening my Skool community by the end of April!

Thank you for being a valued member of The Music Hub Community!

Please contact me by responding to this email if you have any questions or concerns!

Happy Music Making!

Heather Niemi Savage, composer, pianist & educator

Founder of The Music Hub