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When you practice left foot pedal technique on pedal steel, one of the main goals is to build consistent muscle memory in your foot and ankle.
You’ll want to be able to engage one pedal or multiple pedals accurately at any time. Just as importantly, you’ll want to move between pedals smoothly and efficiently to create the musical effects that define the instrument.
Positioning Your Foot and Heel
A good starting point is becoming aware of where your foot sits in relation to the pedals when they are not engaged.
The heel is typically anchored to the ground, while the front of the foot hovers over the pedals you’re using. This allows you to engage pedals quickly without having to reposition your entire foot each time.
In some situations, you may need to lift your foot and move to a different pedal group. However, most of the time, pivoting at the heel is the most efficient way to move between pedals.
On the E9 neck:
- Emmons setup: A and B pedals are the primary position
- Day setup: B and C pedals are the primary position
Keeping your foot centered over these pedals allows you to engage them instantly and consistently.
Getting Used to the Motion and Position
Holding your foot in this position may feel unfamiliar at first, but it becomes natural with repetition.
A helpful comparison is driving a car. Your right foot typically stays anchored at the heel while hovering over the gas and brake pedals. The same idea applies here.
Over time, your foot learns to stay relaxed while remaining ready to engage pedals at any moment. Developing this kind of awareness is an important part of building a consistent practice routine.
Pivoting the Left Foot
Once you’re comfortable hovering over one set of pedals, the next step is learning to pivot your foot efficiently.
For example:
- From A & B → pivot to B & C
- From one pedal group → to another without lifting your foot
This movement should come from the heel acting as a pivot point.
A simple way to practice this:
- Engage A & B
- Release
- Pivot
- Engage B & C
The goal is to make this motion smooth, quick, and controlled.
Engaging One Pedal at a Time
Even though your foot is hovering over two pedals, you’ll often need to engage just one.
This requires:
- Slight tilting of the foot
- Control of pressure and angle
- Keeping the heel anchored
For example:
- Engage A without touching B
- Engage B without touching A
This takes time to develop, but it’s essential for clean playing, especially when working within common positions on the E9 neck.
Rocking the Pedals
A major part of pedal steel phrasing comes from “rocking” between pedals.
This means:
- Holding one pedal down
- Engaging and releasing the adjacent pedal
For example:
- Hold B pedal
- Rock into A
- Release A while holding B
This creates a very recognizable pedal steel sound and is used constantly in E9 playing.
You’ll hear this approach used constantly in E9 playing, especially when staying in one position and using pedals to create movement without shifting the bar.
Goals for Left Foot Pedal Technique
Here are practical goals to work toward:
- Keep your foot hovering comfortably over the main pedals
- Engage each pedal cleanly on its own
- Engage multiple pedals together accurately
- Pivot between pedal groups without lifting your foot
- Rock between pedals smoothly and consistently
- Maintain control at both slow and fast tempos
These are foundational skills that affect everything you play on the instrument.
Left Foot Practice Exercise
A highly effective way to develop control is coordinating pedal movement with bar movement.
Example:
- Engage A pedal at fret 12 (strings 5 & 10)
- Slowly release the pedal while sliding to fret 14
- The pitch should remain consistent
If done correctly, there should be no audible pitch change.
This exercise trains:
- Smooth pedal engagement
- Foot and bar coordination
- Control over micro-movements
Practicing this slowly is extremely beneficial.
This type of coordination also works closely with developing bar control, since both the foot and bar need to move together with precision for clean, in-tune playing.
Taking This Further
To continue improving your overall technique:
- Right Hand Blocking
- Pedal Steel Guitar: Using Finger Picks & Thumb Picks
- Practice Exercises to Improve Bar Control
Conclusion
Left foot pedal technique is a fundamental part of playing pedal steel.
By developing consistent positioning, smooth motion, and accurate control, you’ll be able to move more freely across the instrument and focus more on making music.
Like everything on pedal steel, it improves with repetition and awareness. Spend a little time on it each day, and it will quickly become a natural part of your playing.
If you want help refining how your foot, bar, and hands work together: