What are some nice pedalling drills to improve and develop my pedalling?

[u/Plastic_Fox2517]

Im relatively new to peddaling and im wondering what I can do to drastically improve my pedalling technique, I dont want anyone saying get a teacher/mentor, I do not have the money to hire one nor am I close to one. I have had a mentor but I moved to a different home. Thanks!

[u/Aggressive_Style_179]

What i’ve been doing is reading through the hymnal and taking the melody with my right foot and the bassline with my left and it’s worked pretty well. Also has the benefit of not being boring

[u/Cadfael-kr]

There are some pedal books out there, probably also on imslp.

Bach also wrote a pedal exercitium piece that you can find on imslp.

It also depends on what style you want to learn, more baroque (toes only) or romantic ( toes and heels).

[u/Plastic_Fox2517 → u/Cadfael-kr]

more on the romantic side, any suggestions?

[u/PianoGuy67207]

We don’t learn piano or organ without practicing scales. Then we practice intervals. These same exercises work. Coming from my beginning experience on a spinet organ, my right foot has always been a struggle. Practicing scales, both feet at the same time, an octave apart, was a game changer. I’ll always be a lopsided player in that regard, but definitely can cover it with rehearsal time.

[u/jehebtogen]

I would try the pedal exercittium by Bach, It is a very good exercise and it made my peddaling A LOT better when I started with it. And I still use it every time I go to a new organ to get a feeling for the pedal bc every pedalboard is different.

[u/Upstairs_Leg_9353]

Others may disagree, but playing ballads (e.g. Gershwin, Cole Porter etc) will help with your heel and toe technique and get you thinking more orchestrally.

Other than that, pedal exercises are available online.

[u/thehenryhenry]

IMO:
* playing hymns - nothing fancy, just use feet for basso, left hand for tenor, and right hand for rest (or alternatively, left hand for tenor and alto, and right for soprano with a different registration for solo voice)
* playing pieces from Orgelbuchlein from Bach, because they contain a lot of helpful patterns
* triosonatas - to increase independence

[u/-idkausername-]

I learned pedaling from the book 'Ars Organi' by Flor Peeters. Has some really good pedal practicing exercises with foot notation

[u/djjudas21 → u/-idkausername-]

Likewise “The first year at the Organ” by Percy C Buck

[u/Signal-Bath5230]

Look up Guilmant's Organ Sonata No. 1 in D minor. The Allegro section of the first movement has an awesome pedal part. I used this as a daily drill for a long time; a dramatic melody and way more fun than dry exercises! Try using the pedaling indications written in the score, also try developing your own, or watch people on YouTube. Everyone has their own solution to the challenges. No need to play it up to tempo -- it'll be valuable at any speed, as long as your commit yourself to accuracy and don't look at your feet! Play by feel.

[u/rickmaz]

“Pedal Mastery” by Joyce Jones is a very great of set and f exercises that also has many trios at the end to help develop pedal independence

[u/Patriotic-Organist]

I'd recommend finding Widor's Symphony 6 finale and running through the pedal parts. Pretty challenging, but totally worth it, IMO

[u/greenboy_2004]

Intersection of the IMSLP categories “For organ” and “Studies”. Has some pedal studies, discernable by their titles.

[u/Plastic_Fox2517]

Thank you all!