Top Yamaha Piano Pedals, including 3-Foot pedals. Popular Yamaha pedals for piano keyboards (like the FC series) and other sustain pedals reviewed here. On most pianos, a sustain pedal is built-in to the design, however if you have bought a portable piano keyboard, chances are that it didn’t come with a pedal, in which case you need to buy it separately. Yamaha piano pedals work with Yamaha keyboards, and most of them are universal (work with other brands as well). Besides working with keyboards, these pedals can also be used with other equipment like tone modules and drum machines.
Best Yamaha Piano Pedals
Yamaha not only makes great keyboards, they also make good piano keyboard accessories including a range of sustain pedals for keyboards – both single pedal as well as 3-foot pedal.
Here are the top Yamaha pedals, most of which are for keyboards and pianos, a few for other instruments such as e-drums. Most of these pedals can also be used with tone-generator-modules and drum machines (besides digital keyboards and pianos).
Difference Between Yamaha FC3A, FC4A, FC5 Pedals
Yamaha FC3A, FC4A, and FC5 are the popular single pedals from Yamaha, they differ in shape, and their ability to offer half-pedaling.
The FC3A and FC4A are known to work with other brands of keyboards as well, not just Yamaha keyboards. You may use it with any keyboard that has a polarity switch. These Yamaha pedals grip the floor nicely and does not slide all over the floor when you play. Its designed to work and feel just like an acoustic piano’s sustain pedal.
- Yamaha FC3 is piano style pedal, Yamaha FC4 is piano style pedal, Yamaha FC5 is box style pedal.
- FC4 and FC5 are switched pedals (they are either on, or off). It sends 127 (midi) when engaged and 0 when disengaged. So its either ON or OFF. Most standard pedals are of this type.
- FC3 (half pedal compatible) has a graduated scale (it can send all values between 0 and 127) that allows for highly expressive pedaling. Basically, the farther (the more) the pedal is pressed, the longer is the sustain of the notes.
Yamaha FC3A Piano style sustain pedal
The FC3A is similar to FC4A but has more features. It allows fine tune sustain and other continuous controller functions, based on foot pressure. It supports half-pedaling feature (although the range is small) and is a piano-style pedal suitable for most Yamaha digital pianos, keyboards, synthesizers, and stage pianos. These can also be utilized as FS controller for synthesizers, tone-generator-modules and drum machines.
Yamaha FC4A Piano style sustain pedal
The FC4A is a piano style pedal that offers the standard pedaling feature (either On or Off). It does not offer half-pedaling. It comes with a switching polarity that you can use if the pedal is producing the opposite effect.
The FC4A is an inexpensive, single piano pedal that can be used with most Yamaha digital pianos, keyboards, synthesizers, and stage pianos.
Yamaha FC5 Compact/Box sustain pedal for portable keyboards
The Yamaha FC5 is a simple box style foot pedal suitable for beginner keyboard players. Its inexpensive, and allows you to experience the functions of a pedal. Because its a box-style, its difficult to make it sit at one place (moves around). However, for beginners its perfectly fine. You may choose to buy a piano style pedal if you use it a lot.
Yamaha FC7 Volume Expression Pedal
The FC7 allows you to adjust the volume and even the effects of your instrument, you can accent certain parts of a performance. Adjustable pedal angle, spring point adjustment.
Yamaha LP-1
Yamaha LP-1 is a 3-pedal unit for recent Yamaha P series pianos such as Yamaha P-125 and P-515.
Yamaha LP-255 3-Pedal Unit
As the name suggests, this sustain pedal is designed for the Yamaha P-255 piano. The 3-pedal unit attaches to the stand.
Yamaha LP7A Keyboard Foot Pedal Unit
These are designed to work with the Yamaha DGX-650/660 models. The 3-pedal unit attaches to the stand so it won’t get pushed around while playing.
Yamaha LP-5A 3-Pedal Unit
The Yamaha LP-5A is a 3-Pedal unit with sustain, sostenuto and soft pedals for a true acoustic piano playing experience with your P-115 (P-95, P-105) digital pianos
Yamaha HH65 Hi-Hat Control Pedal
Yamaha HH65 is a hi-hat pedal for your electronic drum kit. This hi-hat controller can produce a full range of hi-hat effects such as full open, full closed, half open, and foot splash.
Yamaha Piano Keyboard / Sustain Pedal: Buying Guide
Why Use a Sustain Pedal?
Playing with expressions is an important aspect of playing the piano. A Yamaha sustain Pedal is a Yamaha keyboard accessory which is used to sustain notes, while your hands are busy playing.
A useful feature to have especially when all your 10 fingers are on the keyboard! You use the Yamaha keyboard sustain pedal with your foot, mostly the right foot.
Option to Choose 3-Foot Pedal
Piano players and music students, if you are not comfortable with a normal sustain pedal can choose to go in for three foot pedals, similar to what you find on acoustic pianos.
A model to consider is the Yamaha LP7A three-foot pedal which is compatible with the DX, YPG and the P-series pianos. You get the usual damper, soft, and sostenuto pedals for controlling the expressive effects. Some pedals also include half damper effect for a more realistic control over the sustained sound.
Why Use a Yamaha Keyboard / Sustain Pedal?
First and foremost reason is that Yamaha is a trusted brand and known for their excellent quality. Besides, you don’t have to use these pedals only with Yamaha keyboards / pianos; you can used it with any other piano-keyboard brand.
In terms of quality, be rest assured about the Yamaha brand. Here are things that you can expect from a yamaha foot pedal.
- A Yamaha sustain pedal responds readily
- It helps you to get a natural sustain while playing the digital keyboard / piano.
- Some other foot pedals will let you accent certain parts of your piano performance
- Some of the foot pedals have a continuous zone that allows for different types of sustain
Final Thoughts on Yamaha Foot Pedals
The Yamaha piano style sustain pedals are designed to work and feel like the pedals on an acoustic piano. These are well-built, grips the floor well and stays put while in use. Yamaha pedals are also universal, which means it works with other brands as well (Roland, Kawai as long as it has a polarity switch).
Sustaining the notes is an important aspect of piano playing, and you need a good keyboard sustain pedal for that. Yamaha has some really good foot pedals / sustain pedals that you can consider (including a three pedal system). Don’t forget to check online for best prices on Yamaha sustain pedal.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
Robert says
Foot pedals? As opposed to hand pedals and head pedals, we may assume?
Also: 3-foot pedals… those are 1-yard pedals, aren’t they? Too big for my living room!
Mere details? You may discover that that is not the case.
Trust a site that doesn’t even know what it is writing? I don’t think so.
Saint Revolution says
Wow, Robbie, you are either a true bona fide moron amd dullard or you’re about as much of a musician as André The Giant was a ballet dancer. Foot pedals have been commonplace and endemic since the beginning of musical time … and the three feet refers to the width of the connector board, NOT the length of the pedals, Einstein.
Saint Revolution says
CORRECTION: 3-foot pedals refer to the NUMBER of pedals in the cluster on the board set.
Saint Revolution says
BTW, KeytarHQ, thanks for a very nice overview of Yamaha pedals. Tring to incorporate an FC-7 on a P-155 and was looking for compatibility information. This web page helped. Thanks, again.