loud pedal

7.1

The pedal on the right of a piano that makes notes keep sounding longer

noun

Specialized

: pedal de sostenido

She pressed the loud pedal to let the final chord ring out.

Examples

Press the loud pedal to sustain the notes.
The piece requires careful use of the loud pedal for proper expression.
He accidentally held the loud pedal down, causing the notes to blur together.
The loud pedal is essential for expressive playing.
She pressed the loud pedal so the music could resonate beautifully.
Using the loud pedal, he allowed the chords to linger in the air.
The loud pedal helps create a richer sound when playing the piano.

Synonyms

sustaining pedal

vsloud pedal

Specialized

6.8

A piano pedal that lifts the pads on the strings so notes keep sounding after you release the keys

has identical function but uses a different name

Antonyms

soft pedal

6.3

A foot control on a piano that makes the sound softer

Surface Forms

loud pedal singular

loud pedals plural

Morphology

loud + pedal

The adjective 'loud' denotes volume, while the piano pedal's actual function is to sustain notes by lifting dampers — a relation that is not directly signaled by the word 'loud' and would likely lead learners to infer ‘makes louder’ rather than ‘sustains sound’. The conventional name is 'sustain' or 'damper' pedal, so this label is non-compositional and unpredictable for a B1 learner who only knows the constituents.

Etymology

Loud pedal is the right pedal on a piano that lifts small pads off the strings so they can keep ringing. Because the strings keep sounding and the sound becomes fuller and stronger, the loud pedal makes notes seem 'louder' and 'longer', so pianists use it to make the music more beautiful.