This is a traditional style pedal that has nice rubber stoppers on the bottom so it doesn’t slip on you while playing. Best Budget Option. Something to note with this is that it is rather slim compared to other products. He's toured the country with Vinyl Theatre & now has developed a passion for writing about all things keyboards. Roland is a company that just makes high-quality products and for this reason, I typically talk highly about them. This depends on how often you want to replace it. I do like Casio, but in the past, I have run across some of their products that I just found to be super entry-level. If yours has problems sticking then it will send MIDI messages to your laptop and your synthesizers will stick too. This is frustrating when performing live. Required fields are marked *. The M-Audio line does seem to break over time, however, they all come with a 1-year warranty. It’s a full-sized, traditional-style piano pedal that gives you tons of responsiveness and a lot of control over the type of sustain. There is a polarity switch so you can switch from having positive and negative polarity. Your email address will not be published. If you’ve ever played a digital piano before, you know how crucial it is to have a good sustain pedal to go along with it. The rubber feet give it tons of stability, the metal design gives it durability, and the built-in polarity switch lets you use it with any keyboard that can handle a sustain pedal. Their FC5 sustain pedal gives you expressiveness and convenience, wrapped up in a portable package. These are a bit cheaper, but they do work very well until they break. I only use the foot style because I find the traditional is a pain to try and hit with my foot when performing live. Sometimes the pedal may not lift the dampers enough or various parts of the pedal system can become stuck and cause the notes to sustain longer than intended. Required fields are marked *. I like this because technology has made it great for MIDI controllers. I spent 5 years touring & testing out different sustain pedals in order to reach a conclusion that highlights the most reliable sustain pedals. You can pretty much use the Nektar NP-2 with any electronic keyboard too, thanks to the long 6-foot cord and ¼ inch input jack. Bottom Line:  If you’re looking for a pedal that imitates the feel and resistance of a traditional sustain pedal, this one functions just like it. Having something that is made of metal also helps because cheap products can fall apart fairly quickly if not tightened weekly. When picking a sustain pedal for your MIDI keyboard or digital piano, there is a lot to consider. I’ve been playing keyboards for over 20 years and this is the place that I love to share my knowledge. its stores in the country listed above). I ended up realizing that it was because it was a problem with having cracked software and a laptop wasn’t properly updated. This is just about the lowest price you can pay for a solid sustain pedal before you don’t have any sustain pedal at all. It’s also incredibly durable and will easily stay by your side and under your foot for many world tours to come. So grab a pedal and hammer away. Disclaimer: There may be affiliate links on this page and others. You can use this pedal with pretty much any electronic keyboard out there, as it comes with a polarity switch that is located on the underbelly. The M-Audio SP-2 is our favorite sustain pedal for digital pianos. For such an inexpensive and simple looking unit, it is incredibly versatile. A big tip here is to make sure that the screws are always tightened on the sides of your products. The M-Audio SP-2 gives you everything you need in a keyboard sustain pedal in a sleek package with an easy-to-use design. Even with the difference in design, the FC5 still gives you resistance that somewhat mimics that of a traditional piano. It also comes with a ¼ inch jack and 6-foot cord that gives you versatility in your setup space. “Are you telling me that there are actually differences between these little old sustain pedals? It has a very stylish outlook and this is designed to work like sustain pedal of the conventional piano. This is not the case in any way with this product. Everyone and their mother knows about Yamaha and the high-quality music products they provide. The Nektar NP-2 offers just about the same sturdiness as the M-Audio SP-2 with a slightly heavier build. Lastly, you get a one-year warranty in case of any unwarranted breakages. Bottom Line:  Though it may not be the highest quality on the market, the MIDIPlus SP-2 is definitely the best bang for your buck regarding usable sustain pedals. The cords are very cheap and they can get ruined pretty easily. The pedal comes with a polarity switch and ¼ inch jack, meaning it can be used with just about any electronic keyboard. On-Stage is pretty well renowned for their high-quality stage equipment. Once you learn how to use it, you’ll incorporate it into most of your piano playing. This sustain pedal is made to be compatible with almost all the keyboards and synthesizers that have input pedal jack of ¼inch. The square products are lower on the ground and my foot doesn’t kick it as much. This is sortof the case, but there is a little more to it! They typically offer the traditional-style resistance that you get from that old piano at your grandparents’ house and are a bit heavier and larger. Digital pianos are pretty much used everywhere these days. Regardless of whether you were on the lookout for an aesthetically pleasing traditional pedal or inexpensive flat pedal, we hope you found something in our guide. If you break it you can send it back and get a new one. It may not be the best to travel with, as it is heavier than plastic, though the tradeoff in having tons of expressiveness makes up for it tenfold. This is especially important if you plan to take your keyboard to the stage where the floors are typically made of wood. This allows you to play a note or chord and have the note right … What…, When it comes to looking at the best wireless microphone for church you will want to know that…, Keyboard stands are often not thought about as much as they should be. Chris Senner is a passionate keyboardist, songwriter & blogger from Milwaukee, WI. Today we are going to be looking at the best sustain pedals for digital pianos & MIDI keyboards. The overall design of the pedal is incredibly durable and straightforward and gives you the feel of a traditional piano sustain pedal at a moderate price. Professional keyboardists and amateurs alike will enjoy this pedal just as much though. MIDIPlus SP-2. I have run through dozens of these just from being lazy and not wanting to tighten them. If you’re a synth or effect kind of guy/gal, you can also use the Yamaha FC5 pedal as an on/off switch for activating or deactivating other effects and pedals. Your email address will not be published. In doing so, you can make sure that you’ll be able to get a solid sustain no matter what you plug your pedal into. It comes with rubber on the top for grip and also rubber on the bottom so it doesn’t slide around the stage. This is another example of just a quality product that isn’t going to break on you or wear out extremely fast. This may sound like a silly question, but some people might not have a ton of experience playing the piano yet. Your Source for MIDI Controllers, Digital Pianos, and Keyboards, Things To Consider When Buying A Sustain Pedal. Something that will increase the lifetime of your product is to not stomp as hard as you can on it. If you’re on a serious budget, look no further than the MIDIPlus SP-2. Bottom Line:  If you want a traditional-style pedal with seriously piano-like resistance and responsiveness, and also have the extra money to spend, we would highly recommend the On Stage KSP100. Even with the flat, rubber design, you get tons of control. These screws are what is going to keep your device from falling apart on you from heavy use. Piano Style Sustain Pedals are made to resemble those pedals found on traditional pianos in size and shape. All of the pedals on our list are great for a wide array of keyboards from old-school synths to new-school electronic keyboards. The footplate is made with a scratch-resistant chrome and is very high-quality. KeyboardKraze.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon (i.e. It is essential for any serious musician as you will need to sustain notes out during different parts of songs. This tip will increase the life of your product by a lot. The Casio SP-20 surprised me when playing on it the other day. Be sure that when you’re playing shows you don’t leave your cord hanging out of your keyboard in open range. Damper pedals can also break and sometimes require replacement. Best Audio Recording Gear, Musical Instruments, & Home Studio Guides.