An Illustrated Tour of the Piano

What the Soft Pedal Does

Photo by Mel McIntyre

When you press the soft pedal down, one of two things will happen. Either the hammers will be shifted to the left so they play fewer strings, or they'll be moved closer to the strings as in this picture. Bringing the hammers closer to the strings means they'll hit the strings with less force and therefore make a softer sound. Simple but ingenious!

Index: An Illustrated Tour of the Piano

1. The Piano
2. The Keyboard
3. The Hammers
4. The Strings
5. The Iron Frame
6. The Pedals
7. The Tuning Pegs
8. What the Soft Pedal Does
9. What the Damper Pedal Does
10. What Happens When You Press A Key