Beginners Music Theory/Piano

Piano

Pedal marks

Pedal marks appear in music for instruments with sustain pedals, such as the piano, vibraphone and chimes.

	Engage pedal Tells the player to put the sustaining pedal down.
	Release pedal Tells the player to let the sustain pedal up.
	Variable pedal mark More accurately indicates the precise use of the sustain pedal. The extended lower line tells the player to keep the sustain pedal depressed for all notes below which it appears. The ∧ shape indicates the pedal is to be momentarily released, then depressed again.
	Con sordino, Una corda Tells the player to put the soft pedal down or, in other instruments, apply the mute.
	Senza sordino, Tre corde Tells the player to let the soft pedal up or, in other instruments, remove the mute.

Other piano notation

	left hand	right hand
English	l.h.	r.h.
	left hand	right hand
German	l.H	r.H
	linke Hand	rechte Hand
French	m.g.	m.d.
	main gauche	main droite
Italian	m.s.	m.d.
	mano sinistra	mano destra

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Finger identifications: 1 = thumb 2 = index 3 = middle 4 = ring 5 = little

Old (pre-1940) tutors published in the UK may use "English fingering". + for thumb, then 1 (index), 2 (middle), 3 (ring) and 4 (little).