# Sustain pedal that support half pedaling



## Daniel F. (Nov 28, 2016)

Do I need to have a special piano to be able to do half peddling? Or is it only the pedal I need see if it supports half sustain pedaling? I would like to have two pedal sustain and soft I don't need the third.

Any recommendations for pedals that support half pedaling? I know that not all piano libraries support half pedaling either so any recommendation for those as well?


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## chimuelo (Nov 28, 2016)

Yamaha is my favorite.
Make sure the TRS works or you'll need an Ashly adapter which just stopped being made.
I bought the last dozen since they're a requirement for when I take controller pedals to gigs and see backline monsters like Kurzweil MIDIboards or VPianos.


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## Daniel F. (Nov 28, 2016)

So all the Yamaha pedals support half pedaling aka are continuous controllers? And if I buy one of these Yamaha pedals they will work with my keyboard if it has a trs connection? So I don't need to check and know if the keyboard supports the sustain pedal to use continuous data it because all keyboards do?


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## Morodiene (Nov 28, 2016)

This is an interesting question and not one I've thought about. What do you use right now for a piano? Check the manual or specs to see if the damper pedal has continuous or not. Not all keyboards do, and I believe you would need it to transmit continuous data to software that also has half-pedal/continuous as a capability.


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## tack (Nov 28, 2016)

Not all digital pianos or MIDI controllers support continuous pedals. Not all aftermarket sustain pedals are continuous -- most in fact are discrete, from what I've seen.

When I owned a Yahama P80, which natively supports only discrete pedals, I bought the MIDI Solutions Pedal Controller to allow for a continuous pedal. Of course my piano itself didn't support this, but I used it only as a MIDI controller at that point. I bought a https://www.roland.com/global/products/dp-10/ (Roland DP-10) to use with it.

My M-Audio Axiom controller also didn't support continuous sustain pedals, but the expression pedal port did, so I ended up plugging my sustain pedal into the expression port and reprogramming it for CC64.

I've since upgraded both. My digital piano got replaced with a Kawai CA67, which natively supports continuous pedaling. My Axiom was replaced with a Komplete Kontrol S88, where _both_ sustain and expression ports support continuous pedals.

And then one must be aware that not all virtual instruments support half pedaling.


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## Morodiene (Nov 28, 2016)

Yes, using the expression port for continuous pedal is a good workaround if you aren't using that already and you need continuous pedaling. 

As for software that supports half-pedaling, I recommend TrueKeys (VI labs) pianos. Some like Pianoteq (modeled), and there is also Galaxy Vintage D which I personally like the sound of and while I don't own it, it comes highly recommended. Some also like the Garritan CFX.


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## FriFlo (Nov 28, 2016)

You can plug any continuous pedal to a quarter inch jack that is supposed to be used for continuous controller messages (e.g. Expression pedal input). You will have to convert the CC-Numbers you need in the computer (or via hardware). I happen to use a 3-pedal unit (continuous) plugged to a roland foot controller.


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## Daniel F. (Nov 28, 2016)

I'm looking for both a piano and a pedal and I have little information about this.

@tack I read the same thing about the Axiom controller with the expression port. I was looking at the Studiologic VFP series and it seems like they do a dynamic version of all their controller but I haven't found anyone who sells it. You like the Roland pedal? Maybe I look into that one even thought it's a little bit more expensive. If I know right I can buy a pedal that uses contentious data with a keyboard that doesn't understand it, the keyboard will just use it as a normal pedal as a discrete pedal.

Yes I know all VSTs don't use it but I just want the option for the future.


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## Morodiene (Nov 28, 2016)

Personally, I think it's better to get a digital piano that supports the continuous pedaling for the best piano emulation, and have a separate MIDI controller or keyboard (with keyboard action) for other VI's if necessary. I use my Kawai MP11 for everything, although I own an MOX6 I can use for strings etc.


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## Daniel F. (Nov 28, 2016)

Morodiene said:


> Personally, I think it's better to get a digital piano that supports the continuous pedaling for the best piano emulation, and have a separate MIDI controller or keyboard (with keyboard action) for other VI's if necessary. I use my Kawai MP11 for everything, although I own an MOX6 I can use for strings etc.



I agree. It might be too expensive for me now tho. But I need pedal with continuous support as well so both most support it which I didn't know and that's very important. At least now I know that the Roland pedals support it so I might get those now and later a real piano keyboard.


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## tack (Nov 28, 2016)

Daniel F. said:


> You like the Roland pedal?


Sure. Well, I mean, it feels like all the other standalone pedals I've owned, it just happens to be continuous 



Daniel F. said:


> If I know right I can buy a pedal that uses contentious data with a keyboard that doesn't understand it, the keyboard will just use it as a normal pedal as a discrete pedal.


Not necessarily. You'll want to make sure you want to buy a pedal that has a switch to toggle between continuous and discrete modes. The FP10 does.


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## Daniel F. (Nov 28, 2016)

tack said:


> Sure. Well, I mean, it feels like all the other standalone pedals I've owned, it just happens to be continuous
> 
> 
> Not necessarily. You'll want to make sure you want to buy a pedal that has a switch to toggle between continuous and discrete modes. The FP10 does.



Great. I more questions, I might get the DP-10 it's not too expensive and it seems like a good choice. But if I get RPU-3 instead would I be able to somehow make it so that soft and sustain are on the same connection? Right now each of the pedals have their own cable could I combine them? Because I know that something like the VPC1 only has one input for both damper and sostenuto and then one more for soft can I somehow make the Roland RPU-3 work with this? Otherwise I might go with the Kawai F-20, if anyone has any experience with this please let me know.


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## Morodiene (Nov 28, 2016)

Daniel F. said:


> Great. I more questions, I might get the DP-10 it's not too expensive and it seems like a good choice. But if I get RPU-3 instead would I be able to somehow make it so that soft and sustain are on the same connection? Right now each of the pedals have their own cable could I combine them? Because I know that something like the VPC1 only has one input for both damper and sostenuto and then one more for soft can I somehow make the Roland RPU-3 work with this? Otherwise I might go with the Kawai F-20, if anyone has any experience with this please let me know.


FYI, the VPC1 will only work with the Kawai F-30 pedal unit. But that is continuous, so no worries there.


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## jesussaddle (Jul 17, 2022)

I wonder, are there small or micro midi controllers that happen to offer an continuous controller input? I don't believe many do, but maybe someone here knows of one. I purchased a purportedly good fcb1010 Behringer fcb1010, upgraded it with an UNO 3 chip (for my fractal audio axe fX II) and then discovered over a period of testing that the continuous controller messages it was sending were not a good signal for some reason, due to damaged internal wiring probably. I know I can buy another, but a cheaper option would be nice because once bitten twice shy. (Apparently it is very easy to use the foot controller input to the AXE FX III since it has a "MIDI BLOCK" which is a block in the software grid that allows converting data into MIDI OUT to control external devices (like my DAW apparently).

(AFAIK what I need to replace the Behringer is just something with a continuous controller foot pedal that sends this info via a MIDI cable, which I can use my AXE FX II to receive and relay via MIDI THRU to my DAW. )


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