Which pedal is pressed to produce a softer tone on the piano?

Which pedal is pressed to produce a softer tone on the piano?

• A. sustain pedal
• B. una corda
• C. damper pedal
• D. sostenuto

Answer: (B)

Softening the tone comes from using the una corda pedal. When pressed, it shifts the piano’s action so the hammers strike fewer strings, which reduces the volume and changes the tone to a more delicate, muted color. On most pianos this means the hammers hit two strings per note instead of three (and on some models even fewer strings), giving a softer, more lyrical sound ideal for gentler passages. The sustain pedal, or damper pedal, works differently: it lifts the dampers so all the strings can ring together, lengthening and often brightening the sound rather than softening it. The sostenuto pedal holds only those notes that are depressed when the pedal is pressed, allowing selective sustaining without affecting earlier notes, so it doesn’t produce a blanket softer tone either.

Softening the tone comes from using the una corda pedal. When pressed, it shifts the piano’s action so the hammers strike fewer strings, which reduces the volume and changes the tone to a more delicate, muted color. On most pianos this means the hammers hit two strings per note instead of three (and on some models even fewer strings), giving a softer, more lyrical sound ideal for gentler passages.

The sustain pedal, or damper pedal, works differently: it lifts the dampers so all the strings can ring together, lengthening and often brightening the sound rather than softening it. The sostenuto pedal holds only those notes that are depressed when the pedal is pressed, allowing selective sustaining without affecting earlier notes, so it doesn’t produce a blanket softer tone either.