Sustain pedals are great! So why are they not included with most keyboards and digital pianos? Simple: because you won't be using them that much in your first months of taking lessons.

In this article, we will discuss:

• What is a sustain pedal?
• Do I really need one?
• Which one should I get if I would like to purchase one?
• Extra tip: What to do if your keyboard or piano gets "stuck" when connecting a sustain pedal

So what is a sustain pedal?

A sustain pedal is a great addition when taking piano lessons at The Hit. First, let's give you a simple explanation. A sustain pedal makes the note sound longer without having to keep pressing the key.

Now let's get a bit technical: on an acoustic piano, the sustain pedal moves a series of dampeners away from a piano's strings. These dampeners are designed to touch the string and stop it from vibrating, essentially killing the sound right after your finger is removed from the key. When the dampeners move away from the string, the sound wi...

So what is the best age to start piano lessons?

That is a great question and is one that we usually answer at our studios weekly or even daily.

Let's start with a simple answer: first grade or seven years old is a great age to get started on piano lessons!

So how can you decide if your child is ready for piano lessons, especially if they are younger than 7? We understand that all students have unique abilities, so here are a few guidelines that might give you a better idea of what to look for in your child to decide if they are ready for lessons.

What is the minimum age that my child can begin piano lessons?

At The Hit, the minimum age for our private piano lessons is normally five years old.

The piano is a very visual instrument with a fairly straight-forward approach to sound production. The beginning of piano playing usually requires our hands to be steady, which allows us to concentrate our attention on the basic motion of pressing one key at a time.

Studen...