Pedal Press/Depress sign Finale

ive been doing it with Articulation tool, but i dont know how to make it "depress press" (just to remove the clutter from the previous bar).

how do i do that, if anyone knows? thanks

There is a section in the manual that says "pedal markings". What does it say?

smart shape, just found it.

on a subjective level, how do you prefer to do it, with "Ped. & *" or with lines?

i find *Ped kinda intimate :D but i dont like the lines

I think the "Ped___*" has certain connotations with it, and it generally tends to be clumsy when you need accurate and quick pedal changes. Also, with the lines you can also indicate other pedal movements, or partial pedal movements (1/2 pedal etc), so it's more universal.

but finale doesnt interpret them on playback, right?

anyway, im using lines now. thanks for the tip, come think of it, Ped_* is somewhat clumsy

As a rule, I think one should allow the performer to apply the pedal changes - too many times have I seen a pianist disregard a composers pedal marking in favor of their own.

well yes, but ive heard pianists that actually ruined a piece because of clumsy pedal usage.

if you ask me it differs from composer to composer and his style of writing, some composers are really picky for details...

anyway, is there any way to make the lines "sound" in the piece with human playback?

ive just decided im gonna use mixed markings... ill have to clarify one are for precise pedal markings and others are for the "ad libitum"

the problem with contemporary music, though, is that when composers indicate the use of pedal, they really *want* that sound or that sound effect. A pianist will usually apply pedal in pieces where pedal is not indicated, or where the composer only indicates "pedal freely", or something similar. Or in music of the past where pedal was not indicated by the composer.

My experience with pianists (and my own piano playing) is that a lot of them use the sustain pedal as a crutch for poor technique.

That said, when *I* write piano parts, I very carefully indicate the pedalling that I want the pianist to use. Then again, I don't write "piano music", I write larger pieces in which the piano is just another member of the group.

If you want the pianist to pedal to his/her own taste, use "pedal ab lib." But performers should be trained to respond to pedalling indications as being the composer's intention.

as a pianist, and one who writes for piano, I would say that TOO MUCH pedal marking is more damaging than none at all.

My suggestion, and this comes form 40 years of performance, would be "con ped." as a general marking (below the lower staff, at the beginning). Where you really want no pedal, indicate "senza ped." for those sections.

Where you need a very specific pedaling, then and only then would I recommend you indicate with the pedal lines. Personally, I don't care for the "ped..........*" type of indication.

I much prefer "__________/\" as a pedal marking. However, that IS just a personal preference.

Yes, most pianists tend to disregard pedal markings. And even when you clearly indicate them, many pianists STILL disregard them (my cello sonata is a case in point... the pianist refused to pedal as I had indicated).