Pedal keyboard

With pedal ( from the Latin pes "foot" ) is in the organ called a keyboard that is played with the feet, as opposed to the manuals that are played with the hands.

Range

The range of the pedal enough nowadays typically 7-32 keys ( to about 2 ½ octaves, also chromatically from C), in exceptional cases for very large organs from F1 to f1 ( 3 octaves). Previously, the pedal was often carried out to c1 or d1 or even shorter. Typically, each organ has a pedal and one or more keyboards. A small organ without pedal is called positive, very rare to find even two organs with pedal keyboards. For electronic organs are also called stub pedals in use that are mensuriert much smaller and include only one octave. Stub pedals can also be found on Baroque organs on the Iberian Peninsula. Their range is one to one and a half octaves.

Designs

There are different designs, distinguished initially between parallel pedal, in which all keys are mutually parallel, and radial pedal, in which the keys diverge starting radially from the organ bench. The pedal can also be cambered in the horizontal direction with higher keys located at the edge or vertical direction with longer upper buttons on the rim to facilitate the organist reaching the pedal keys near the edge. Such a structured pedal is called the " simple cambered ". Are horizontal and vertical curving combined, the pedal is referred to as " double cambered ".

BDO = Association of German organ builder, AGO = American Guild of Organists

Blocks pedal

In a stud pedal the pedals are not run as keys, but stand out as " blocks " from the ground.

Stub pedal

In the minimal version of a pedalboard, the stub pedal, stand 10 to 20 cm short keys from the housing and can be played with his toes. A virtuosic pedal play in the classical sense is not possible. These pedals are also usually attached with pipe organs only in the manual, often in the easiest way with a fabric tape or string. Examples of stub pedals are found primarily in Italy and Spain, but also in the Alps. Many pedals to electronic organs are built as a stub pedal, they serve here the game of bass lines such as a walking bass.

Plugs pedal

In this construction, there is not the usual elongate pedal keys but round buttons. It is more reminiscent of the keypad of a simple oversized button accordions.

Attached pedal

As an attached pedal, a pedal is referred to does not have their own register. The pedal is then fixedly coupled to the only usually manual work and is not independently registrable.

Unselbstständiges pedal

In organs in which the pedal towards the manuals only very few registers, usually only one or two registers to 16 'and 8', includes, is also the name unselbstständiges pedal in use, as the use of a pedal coupler is here often required. Dependent pedals found in many small organs, where they only have a separate register, usually base 16 ' or sub-bass 16' feature. Standard pedals are dependent in baroque organs on the Iberian Peninsula. These are often designed as a stub pedal or pedal pedals plugs usually only have their own registers "Contras ", where it is in many cases a Holzgedackt 16 ' or Holzgedackt 16' 8'. The delineation for independent pedal is sometimes difficult. Thus, the pedal works of smaller French baroque organs have almost uniformly only on the three separate tabs Soubasse 16 ' ( Gedackt ), Flûte 8' (wide mesurierter principal) and Trompette 8 ' ( metal cup full-length ), but the use of the pedal coupler is in the relevant literature rather rare.

Short octave

In old organs often lack the large cis because it was thereby saving considerable material and labor. Consequently, the organ literature of the time does not demand sound. An historic organs, there is often a pedal with short octave: This is usually the lowest of the four pedal keys (C, C sharp, D and D # ) omitted. In the real tones during the octave the scarcely used in the old music notes C sharp, D sharp, F # and G are omitted. Since this changes the usual key -tone mapping, the short octave is getting used for many organists.

Playing techniques

The pedal free play can be done with both the peaks and with the heels of both feet. This can theoretically be played up to four voices. In practice, however, is monophonic pedal play usual, already two -voiced pedal play is rare. An important means is the forward or rear set of the foot, also the sliding of the key button to be used. The Foot Pack can be as fingering registered by special characters in the notes that are not used by all organists same. Until the 19th century the game was with the tip of many organists preferred often because of the design of the pedal keys that did not allow the meaningful use of the hoe. The germanium technology ( according to Fernando Germani ) provides the same tip and heel.

This technique is difficult to achieve with today's fashion footwear. Therefore, many organists use separate shoes for play. Especially dancing shoes are well suited for virtuosic playing due to their narrow and seamless cut, their suede sole and the heel. Some contemporary organists, so Willem Tanke and Helmut Kickton, practicing the pedal play without shoes, just with socks.