But finger pedaling doesn't mean that you simply play notes with your fingers. It means specifically that you hold them longer as if they were being sustained by the pedal but without using the pedal. For example, if you have an Alberti bass pattern that goes C-G-E-G you would hold down the C for the whole beat while playing G-E-G. Another example is playing an arpeggio while holding down all the previous notes of the arpeggio. This way you sustain the notes while avoiding muddiness. It is useful sometimes.
Beginner question about pedal timing
This is the notation my book uses:
The first note in bass staff is a full note, meaning to hold it down the entire bar length, anyway. This is a good example why the pedal marking is superfluous.
I think the pedal is still needed for the right hand, so that those notes sound nice too. I haven't started that piece yet though 
What I like about following all three method books: they don't cover everything at once. In the first two books they didn't cover much theory at all, because they know we beginners just like to touch the piano 
And our brains are not ready yet for super complicated techniques, we struggle enough just reading the score, finding the notes and making our fingers obey.
But now the third Alfred book is starting to apply the thumbscrews... circle of fifths, more chords, more scales, diminished 7th chords and soon arpeggios. Another buzz word everyone keeps telling us they are so important... but I was patient and waited for Alfred to introduce all those things. That gives me time to also do stuff I like, such as the blues course 
Actually I am really loving this third book though. Towards the end it will allow us to play some actual music, such as original versions of the first movement of Moonlight Sonata and Fur Elise. But I am starting to think that my first love might become lighter music such as blues and easy listening... it's too early to tell still.
Either way, we need to continue to learn - and this forum is really helpful in providing both tips and motivation 
Sophia diminished 7th chords
Fuuu**** - Christian has only introduced a half-dimished one so far. (D minor seven flat five). I start to feel like I am lagging behind. 
Sophia circle of fifths
Look up where your 12-bar blues chords are inside this circle. And if he starts more advanced chord progressions, look up again where they are located. This tells quite you something about what sounds good or bad.
I have another question about pedal timing. It's about "play the notes first, then push down the pedal". The timing of pedal down, does it have to be immediately after the notes? Would pedal down leisurely be a problem? For example, in measure 1, 6, and 8, what could be the problem, if any, if I push the pedal down on the 2nd beat?
Of course, for measure 4, the pedal needs to be down before the second 8th note - I can see the logic behind that.
On a digital piano this isn't always clear but on an accoustic there is a big difference in sound because of the resonance of all the open strings when you lift the pedal. The piece tempo direction is "Majestically", which means you're trying to get this big resonant sound with all the strings open. Nothing bad is going to happen if you don't press the pedal immediately but it's not going to sound as majestic. On a good piano you should be able to hear the difference.
Pallas The pedaling mark is telling you where the composer wants which kind of resonance from the instrument.
Well, the composer in this case is Handel, who knew nothing about the piano pedal because it wasn't invented yet. 
The pedal marks are an editorial addition.
Usually, pedal marks are a suggestion anyway, even when the composer wrote them.
/end nitpicking mode
BartK I did not show the second page of the score - it is essentially the same as page 1 but forte in dynamics. Pedal does make the sound quite more majestic in forte.
What confuses me a bit is the opening dynamics is piano. The pedal effect there seems to me more for legato than for resonance when playing soft? However I do feel in measure 4 the pedal makes the bass register quite a bit more sonorous even played soft.
One more question, if the goal is to make the sound more majestic, would pedal down before the opening note in measure one even better?
BTW although I am on a digital piano, I am using Pianoteq which models the pedal effect quite realistically.
I suppose one reason that make me ask this latest question is some suggestion I got for pedaling when changing chords - that between chords, the pedal needs to remain up for enough time so that the previous chord complete dies out before the pedal can go down again. Of course there is no changing pedaled chords here. I was just wondering if not rushing the pedal down is a good thing to think about.
iternabe have another question about pedal timing. It's about "play the notes first, then push down the pedal". The timing of pedal down, does it have to be immediately after the notes? Would pedal down leisurely be a problem?
No, it would not be a problem, and I would even encourage it. Get used to controlling the pedal smoothly, with sensitivity. Here's what I wrote earlier in this thread:
MRC One really important thing: once you have lifted the pedal, you do not need to depress it again immediately. Many pianists get into the habit of making a very fast up-down movement at each harmony change. There are two drawbacks to doing this:
- If you depress the pedal again too soon, you may not give the dampers the time to completely stop the vibrations of the strings. This muddies the sound.
- Depressing the pedal very fast can be noisy. in the worst cases, you can hear the pianist stamp on the pedal.
At a particular place, try depressing the pedal sooner or later, faster or slower. What difference does it make? Listen, always listen: let your ears guide your pedalling!
And do try the Handel piece you posted with no pedal at all. How does it sound? Why did the editor add the pedal at those specific moments?
iternabe One more question, if the goal is to make the sound more majestic, would pedal down before the opening note in measure one even better?
Yes, it's quite common to have the pedal down before playing the first note. Moreso in romantic music than things like this but you can experiment.
I agree with MRC - experiment, listen very carefully, and try to figure out what sounds good. This is excellent advice in general and will have a great impact on your progress. I think listening critically is one of the most important skills you can develop.
Here's something interesting: Yeol Eum Son playing the same piece once with pedal and once without. Both beautifully done:
I love it that she pedalled with bare feet, so you can appreciate the subtleties.
- Edited
Ithaca do you all play the piano w/shoes or slippers on at home?
Bare feet in the summer, slippers in the winter and socks any time in between 
I'm currently going through my old books again. Now that it's super easy to play stuff like the Harp Song and Greensleeves, I can now give the pedal and all other subtleties my fullest concentration 
Plus it's a nice boost for whenever my moral is getting a little low!
Ithaca In an acoustic, as soon as you lift the dampers, all the strings - even the ones you're not pressing - are free to resonate, so you'll also get what I think of an aural shimmer (or sound aura, or sound cloud, depending on my mood). And the quality of that sound depends on the piano. I don't know if your digital will do that; mine certainly didn't, but it was a very elderly Roland.
Today's Kawai digitals simulate all other strings resonating, too. It is most present, if I use the Upright Piano Sample, but also works on the Grands.
Ithaca If you observe the mechanism in an acoustic piano, the only thing the standard sustain pedal does is lift up all the dampers. In an acoustic, as soon as you lift the dampers, all the strings - even the ones you're not pressing - are free to resonate, so you'll also get what I think of an aural shimmer (or sound aura, or sound cloud, depending on my mood). And the quality of that sound depends on the piano. I don't know if your digital will do that; mine certainly didn't, but it was a very elderly Roland. (It was the first of the really good actions, but the native sound was meh.)
Today I tested my Roland FP-30X's built-in sound engine, and I'm surprised it actually does have sympathetic resonance. If hold down C2 silently, strike C3 then release (no pedal), the C2 will ring for quite a while as it remains held down. Same if I hold down G2 then strike C3, although the resonance will be weaker. I used to think sampled digital piano sound engine cannot do sympathetic resonance, and that would be one big reason to use modeled sound engine such as Pianoteq. Well, technology has apparently advanced that even mid-entry level DP now have this feature.
