The sustain pedal works in reverse

by David Cantrell
(lula Ga)

When I press down on the sustain pedal, it mutes the sound. It does the opposite that I am used too. How do I reverse this to where you press down in the pedal ---- it will sustain???

Email is drumlime @ yahoo.com

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Aug 23, 2024
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Fix for Yamaha Digital Piano P-71 sustain pedal reverse problem NEW
by: Stacy

Easy fix…press power and function at same time. Power button will flash. Press power off then back on.
Pedal will be reset to normal and working properly.
Oct 10, 2022
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starstarstarstarstar 		sustain pedal works in reverse NEW
by: Anonymous

With my Yamaha FC-5 into a Williams legato, I held some keys (notes) down and had pedal engaged (pushed down) while turning the unit on.

This worked for me in getting sustain back to when pedal is pushed down.

Hope this helps!
Sep 05, 2021
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starstarstarstarstar 		suggestion worked!
by: Anonymous

I'm using a yamaha pedal with a casio lk-280, in which the switch polarity was apparently reversed (set up for a damper rather than sustain).

I followed the directions for using the FUNCTION button to reverse the polarity on a yamaha piano, and it worked perfectly (despite the directions being for a completely different make and model.)

I'm extremely happy that these directions worked as Casio apparently didn't feel that this was important enough to include in the manual.

THANKS AGAIN!
Jan 18, 2021
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starstarstarstar 		Same FC4A polarity backwards
by: Ark

Using this Yamaha pedal w/ Korg N1, but same issue and no matter what combo of plugging and unplugging the pedal with the keyboard on or off, it's still backwards. I don't have a "function" button. Suggestions?
Sep 27, 2020
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starstarstarstarstar 		Yamaha FC4A polarity reverse fix
by: Anonymous

We have a Casio WK-240 and a Yamaha FC4A pedal. To reverse the polarity: Turn the piano off, find the FUNCTION button, plug in your foot pedal, and when you power back on make sure you hold down the function button at the same time. The polarity should switch.
Sep 12, 2020
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thank You For Helping Me With This
by: Stephanie White

I spent two hours tonight with the same problem. The Yamaha MOXF8 is so complicated so to fix a problem using the on screen menus etc is near impossible. I tried factory resets and everything. Then I found this page.. flipped the switch at the pack of the pedal.. and it was all back to normal. Thank you guys (but why make pedals with a back to front setting in the first place..lol)
Mar 28, 2020
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starstarstarstarstar 		Pedal reverse questions!
by: Anonymous

Wow... I looked at all my settings to figure this out. Changed cables and more frustration.. yes there is a toggle on the back of the pedal and all is great!
Mar 28, 2020
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sustain reverse pedal
by: Anonymous

I just bought the modx7 with all the gear and had issues with the sustain pedal. I flipped the pedal over and there is a switch to reverse the pedal so now it works perfectly. I must have looked at 30 different blogs on sustain pedal reverse polarity with no answers. I have the On Stage so 350 and there is a switch on the underside. Try this!
Mar 09, 2020
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starstarstarstarstar 		Solved: Change Polarity for CASION LK-280
by: Anonymous

Change Polarity for CASION LK-280

I figured it out. Turn off the keyboard. With the sustain pedal connected to the keyboard press the FUNCTION / KEY LIGHT button. Hold it down while powering the keyboard on. It will reverse the polarity. The down side is you have to do this every time you boot the keyboard.
Feb 18, 2020
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starstarstarstarstar 		No pedal sustain
by: Martoon

Just bought an old CLP-930 Yamaha Clavinova. The pedal refuses to sustain. Read all the comments, tried all the fixes. Took the complete pedal board out. Dismantled it and cleaned the contact traces with alcohol wipes and reassembled. Checked the copper traces for continuity. Everything looks fine.

I can sometimes get a sustain if I play the note first, hold the note and press sustain, then letting go of the key holds the sustain. Depending where that note is on the keyboard, sometimes it works, sometimes not.

Bit of a bother because I can't play anything...

Any ideas anyone?
Nov 14, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sustain pedal
by: Anonymous

Some sustain pedals have a reverse polarity switch on them. Mine is on the bottom.
Oct 27, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Reversed pedal polarity
by: Patrick

I had a reversed sustain pedal on my Yamaha P-71 digital piano... unplugged from the wall, flipped it around and works properly.
Aug 27, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		reverse sustain pedal
by: Anonymous

I had my keyboard powered on when I introduced the pedal to the keyboard, and it work opposite as it should.

After reading some comments here, I unplugged the power supply from the household outlet, with the pedal cord still inserted.

Plugged the keyboard power in, (with the pedal still connected, turned the keyboard on and wahlah.... it works perfectly. Like it should.

It probably mentions what to do in the instructions that are provided with the instrument, but who really reads those anyway.

Hope this helps.
Jul 18, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sustain pedal reverse
by: Anonymous

I SOLVED THE PROBLEM.
Go into (piano) System settings->Damper->Polarity->STANDARD (or similar location) and change the Stantard to Reverse.
It was in my piano. In the device. Not in the pedal.

Before, I tried all these tips given here and none would work.

So I checked in the Owner's Manual and found the setting.


And I use an old old Roland RD-700 (pedal is a brand new Kurzweil KP-1).
I hope you'll all succeed.
Jun 22, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Fixed S90 reversed sustain
by: Rob

Yamaha S90 had been working fine until recent move overseas. On setup, pedal worked in reverse, as noted in below comments.

I tried several ideas below including taking the pedal to a Yamaha dealer, where it worked properly on a keyboard in the shop.

I had success doing the Yamaha recommended approach noted further below, per Yamaha instructions/cautions.

1) switched the black switch on the base of the pedal (VFP1, made in Italy, plugged into the Sustain slot) to the left as viewed (right when face against the floor) which has a petroglyph of a closed switch.

2) with the power on, I held down the pedal while powering off the KB.

3) I released the pedal with KB off.

4) I started the KB normally with the pedal plugged in but NOT depressed.

Result is correct sustain operation with pedal depressed and no sustain with the pedal not depressed.

All comments below were very useful in debugging this problem. Web site is very useful.
Jun 18, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Yamaha sustain reversed
by: Anonymous

My sustain pedal was reversed and it had worked correctly previously so it had me scratching my head. No polarity switch and I tried all the top solutions on here, but I tried reversing the way my power supply was plugged into the wall and it worked! It had no obviously larger ground plug so I assume it was upside down. Hope this helps someone else.
Apr 27, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		The easiest solution!
by: Anonymous

1)Turn off the piano
2)Plug in the pedal
3)Turn the piano on
That’s what worked for me!
Feb 09, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Yamaha FC3A pedal with Yamaha S08, no sustain
by: Anonymous3308

I have tried all of the suggestions I read here power cycling and such , no sustain occurs. There is no polarity switch on the pedal.
Dec 18, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Casio LK-280 with Yamaha Pedal - sustain reversed
by: Anonymous

I have the same problem mentioned here, using a Casio LK-280 keyboard in combination with a Yamaha pedal. I followed the suggested procedures, turning the keyboard on with the pedal plugged in, tried all kinds of combinations (holding the pedal down while powering on the keyboard, holding the pedal down while powering of the keyboard, pulling the power chord while the pedal is held down, all these in reverse, etc.) nothing helped.
So I went a bit further debugging the issue. I opened the Yamaha pedal. It turns out that there is a simple switch in the pedal: pressing the pedal opens the switch (no connection), releasing the pedal closes the switch (jack is connected / shorted). There is no "reverse switch" on my pedal. Also there is no intelligent logic / Integrated Circuit / Chip in the pedal, just two wires and a simple switch. So whatever I do with holding or releasing the pedal while turning on the keyboard can't have any influence at all on how the pedal works.
I conclude that my only chance to fix the issue is to have the LK-280 recognize a shorted jack connection as a released pedal and an opened / not connected jack as a depressed pedal. There is no documentation anywhere however that the LK-280 would support this. There are no related settings in the keyboard settings menu and having the pedal plugged in also doesn't seem to change anything. So my conclusion is that - in this situation - things can't work the right way.
So I did one final thing and measured the voltage the keyboard puts out when the pedal is open. That's 2.6 Volt. So now I'm going to build a small electronics circuit to reverse the pedal functionality (https://ibb.co/9YwHs2N). Hope this works.
Aug 25, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Fixed.
by: Lee

Just to follow up my last comment- the sustain finally worked properly after I switched to a Yamaha pedal (FC3A). I can't still tell whether the universal pedal I used previously (which had both NC/NO mode but neither worked for me) was defective. But at the moment, it seems that using a Yamaha pedal is a way to go. I hope this helps.
Aug 04, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Same problem!
by: Lee

I'm also using a non-yamaha sustain pedal and encountered the same issue. I have played various Yamaha keyboards for more than 10 years and know that polarity reverses when I depress the pedal as I turn the unit on. But it would typically reverse back to normal when I reboot the machine. Now, nothing seems to work. Here is how it is:

When I turn the unit (MOXF8) on with my pedal plugged in, no sustain is applied as a default. This is fine. But whenever I depress the pedal, sustain comes back and doesn't go away.

I wonder if this has to do with the fact that I'm not using the Yamaha pedal. But I'm kind of skeptical since one of my previous non-yamaha pedal, which had been working just fine for more than three years, suddenly started to work in backward.

I'm really frustrated and suspect if anything has gone permanently wrong with my keyboard, not the pedals.
Jul 13, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		These fixes only work for one single pedal depression
by: Anonymous

After I do any series of steps, it starts out fine, then once I depress the pedal (non-yamaha) and play a note, the pedal switches back to the other polarity. AKA the reverse of a typical pedal.
Jun 09, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Solution
by: Ric

Step 1: In keyboard power on status, connect the pedal to the keyboard and press it.
Step 2: Power off the keyboard with pressing the pedal.
Step 3: Power on the keyboard and release the pedal promptly.
Step 4: it reverses. :)
May 27, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Another idea to reverse polarity
by: David P

To reverse polarity (on a pedal without a polarity switch), power OFF, depress the pedal, power ON, wait for it to 'boot'. Release the pedal.
Mar 20, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		P71 pedal won't STOP sustaining
by: Bob

Is there an easy fix for a p71 pedal that maintains the sustain long after being released? Since i have bad arthritis and can't play I'm giving my keyboard to my niece...and be nice if all its features worked. Other than that, the keyboard has performed flawlessly.
thanks
bobmcconn @ gmail com
Feb 24, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Mine was a Dist problem
by: C. Michael

I have the cheaper pedal. There is a white button in between the plastic pedal and the base that the pedal mashes. After trying everything, I finally blew really hard on that white thing to blow out the dust from the button’s well. Worked like charm...try that if nothing else works.
Feb 21, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		thanks
by: Anonymous

worked like a charm the first time by unplugging it all and putting in the sustain pedal first,

Thank you, explains why happened some of the time

Feb 11, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		More thoughts on Sustain Pedal not working
by: Anonymous

Maybe this will help someone else. I posted here at the end of January. I finally decided to buy a new sustain pedal and looked at the manual to my Yamaha PSR-e453, page 17 and it said this "you can produce a sustain as you play by pressing a footswitch (FC5 or FC4A); sold separately, plugged into the sustain jack. NOTE:plug or unplug the footswitch while the keyboard power is OFF!! Also, do not press the footswitch while turning the power on. Doing so changes the polarity of the footswitch, resulting in reversed operation." I went out and bought FC5 (around $21.00), and so far it works, but now I know NEVER!! to unplug or plug it in with the keyboard turned on!! This CAUTION should be included with every footswitch that Yamaha sells, but it isn't.


I also found this on the Yamaha Website, and will try it with the older sustain pedal which worked for me previously PS-100. Maybe it will fix the old one. Good Luck!
:
Sustain Pedal Polarity Reversed


Portable Keyboards and Digital Pianos: Sustain Pedal Polarity Reversed.


If a sustain pedal plugged into a Yamaha keyboard is producing the opposite effect - sustaining when the pedal is not depressed, and not sustaining when it is depressed - it's usually because (a) the pedal was plugged in while the keyboard was turned on, or (b) the pedal was depressed while the unit was powering on. This tricks the keyboard into thinking the default state of the pedal is depressed, resulting in a reverse polarity or reverse function. There's an easy way to remedy this:

1) With the unit turned on and the sustain pedal plugged in, depress and hold the sustain pedal while you power the unit off.

2) Release the sustain pedal once the unit has been turned off.

3) Turn the unit back on.

That usually fixes reversal of polarity, and if you're using a non-Yamaha sustain pedal, those sometimes have polarity switches that may solve the problem without need for the steps above.

If that doesn't solve the problem and further troubleshooting is needed, please contact our Support team here
Feb 06, 2018
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starstarstarstar 		Help...I think Ive tried all these..still not working to press pedal to sustain.
by: JunL

I have unplugged sustain pedal and keyboard, then plugged sustain in and then keyboard, with pedal switch showing down to sustain. It didn't correct the lack of sustain when pedal is supressed. Then I unplugged all, flipped the pedal switch to up, replugged all in..still not working. I unplugged, holding highest C and power at same time ...nope!
I plugged sustain into the assignable sustain...no change.
Could it have something to do with a setting in my Yamaha S90SX? I did dust it and buttons got pushed, but I can't figure out the problem. Ugh!
Jan 26, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		None of these work for me!! Any other ideas?
by: Anonymous

Hello,

About 2 months ago I found this site and tried all of these, and something worked!! Since then, I haven't needed the sustain and I thought it was 'fixed'... Now no matter what I do it will not sustain. Mine is the PS-100 and when you turn it over, there are 2 holes on the bottom. I wonder if I should do anything via putting a screwdriver inside of either or both of these holes and trying to alter the polarity myself. No real 'switch'..

Please comment if you have any other suggestions. I have literally tried all of these today for about an hour and a half, including re-setting, although no lights flashed when I did that.

Thanks
Jan 22, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sustain pedal not working.
by: Anonymous

I need your help. I've done everything. The sustain pedal won't work. If I pull the sustain pedal chord out and press key it sustains and if in it does nothing. I've restarted it and nothing is working. Very frustrating
Jan 18, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thanks
by: Anonymous

Thanks for the info. I was about to return it.Pedal hasn't worked since we opened it on Christmas.
Dec 06, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Grateful
by: Anonymous

Perfect! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.
Oct 21, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		It worked!
by: Anonymous

Thank you so much! It worked!!
Jun 25, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sustain Pedal Switch
by: Anonymous

There is a switch on the sustain pedal. When I moved it to the other position, the sustain worked correctly.
Mar 27, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thanks!
by: Anonymous

Thank you, this thread helped me with the same problem! Much appreciated
Jan 29, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sustaining pedal now working backwards
by: Eugenia

This was the PERFECT answer to my problem!! Keep sustaining pedal plugged in, turn off keyboard power, turn on again....being sure not to touch any keys when turning on!! Thank you!!!
Dec 27, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		I just fixed mine
by: Anonymous

Just got a new Yamaha too and had a similar problem for a good 20 minutes. I've experienced this issue before years ago and it took a while to remember the process. Plug in the pedal, cycle the power off then on again and do not press any keys! When you hold down a key while it powers on, it reverses the sustain. I'm an now Furing my Elise like nothing ever happened!
Dec 26, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Foot petal not working
by: Anonymous

I just got my keyboard petal on christmas and it was working just fine but the next day the notes are not long anymore, its like it stopped working, i already tried taking out the plug and waiting a bit but its still not working, how can something i just have and its brand new just stop its notes now?
Nov 30, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Works for me
by: Anonymous

Bless, thank you very much. Worked for me!
Oct 31, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Hooray! You Rock!
by: Stephanie

I am a new keyboard player and I have a Yamaha digital piano P-105 and the sustain pedal was not working right so I googled how to fix it this article popped up and I did as you instructed turning if off then plugging in the pedal then turning it on and it is working right right now. Blessings to you. :~)
Jun 27, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		These tips worked. Thanks
by: Anonymous

I was having the same problem and found this page on Google. I didn't know to look for a switch on my foot pedal. That worked! Thanks!
May 31, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Zak is right, rest of you are idiots
by: Anonymous

Zak is right, the rest of you are idiots
May 23, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		hot to restor a pedal polarity
by: Anonymous

Turn off the piano and UNPLUG, wait a few seconds than turn on. (plug before, ofcourse :-) )
May 18, 2016
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starstarstarstar 		The sustain pedal works in reverse
by: Kimberly

Actually, polarity has nothing to do with the sustain pedal operation. It is the state of the switch contacts inside the pedal when the pedal is in the up and resting position -- N/O for Normally Open, and N/C for Normally Closed .

Yamaha is non-conformist as far as standards, and seems to like "normally-closed" in the dampened or pedal-up position, where most of the rest of the world uses "normally-open". Pedals that have a switch on the bottom just select whether the resting position of the pedal switch is open or closed and opposite when the pedal is depressed. One of my keyboards (Alesis) will use any pedal automatically, since it reads the pedal state when the keyboard is powered on and assumes that whichever it is, is the pedal is 'up'(dampened).
Feb 17, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sustain pedal
by: Anonymous

Switching off and unplugging, rep lugging and switching back on worked for me
Feb 02, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		re-set
by: Anonymous

try re-setting keyboard ... (from off) hold down power button and very last top note (last high C) at the same time, a couple of lights will flash, it will re-set itself ... worked for me with the sustain pedal operating in an opposite manner (so to speak) ... good luck ...
Nov 25, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		Yamaha Sustain Pedal
by: Cathy

THere's a switch on the pedal. That was a fast solution to why the sustain didn't work in the beginning. Thanks to everyone for clearing up this issue.
Nov 07, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sustain Pedal Working in Reverse
by: Phoebe

My husband has a Yamaha Piagerro NP-31 which we loaned to a friend. When we got it back, she said the sustain pedal was messed up and working in reverse. After reading the comments on this website and fiddling with it, I discovered the simple solution that was posted by another commenter. I plugged the sustain pedal in before powering up the keyboard, and PROBLEM SOLVED! By the way, we're using a Roland pedal.
Aug 07, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thanks Fixed Hammond Sk1 sustain
by: gtobobb

Using a Yamaha sustain pedal from my DX7 on my Hammond Sk1. It worked normally then all of a sudden worked opposite. Was going to reverse wires, but found your site. I pluged the sustain pedal after I powered it up. messed me up. So I pluged it in while off, turned on Hammond, well-la it works perfect. Plug all pedals in first than power up. thanks a million. Bob B
Mar 04, 2015
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starstarstarstar 		Same problem as Kitty
by: Charmaine baldt

Kitty, I am having the same trouble as you... sometimes the board will sustain when the pedal is not plugged in, and then not sustain when the pedal is plugged in... or vice-versa. it used to just mess up when I would accidentally turn the keys on while pressing the pedal but now the problem is just rediculous.
I have turned off the piano and unplugged the pedal for a bit and am waiting to let the electrical charged in it clear. ...
...
...
waiting...
...
taking a pee...
...
...
i am hoping that the "time out" method worked. it was on the fritz at the last band show I had but then worked for a solo gig i did... and I am just superconfused as to why. I feel like the piano got mad at me for starting to use guitar pedals via the sustain input and the 1/4" left channel output and that is why it is rebelling.... but we will see in a few more minutes....
...
...
...*pets kitty*
...
...
...ok.
*plugs pedal back in*
*shakes chicken juju bones*
*turns on CP85*
NOPE.
total bollocks.
mine has a switch, too... and i've done this and flipped the switch to no avail. sooooooo. i think i am just going to buy a damn guitar sustain pedal and screw that sustain output. i can't deal with unreliable functionality when i gig out all the time. sigh. great set of keys, otherwise!
Feb 22, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		sustain
by: Helen

I've had same sustain problem with bmy yamaha pedal and yamaha keyboard but all these comments have been useful in helping me.
Thanks guys
Jan 30, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		change polarity
by: Anonymous

The unplugging pedal, turning the whole lot off, plugging pedal back in and then turning on worked for me. Thank you - thought I was going to have to dismantle the switch and swap over wire a la you tube!
Jan 30, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		change polarity
by: Anonymous

The unplugging pedal, turning the whole lot off, plugging pedal back in and then turning on worked for me. Thank you - thought I was going to have to dismantle the switch and swap over wire a la you tube!
Jan 19, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Casio Keyboard Vrs Yamaha Sustain Pedal Problems
by: Tasha the Cat

I bought a Yamaha sustain pedal for my human who's current pedal gave out, only to find that WORKS BACKWARDS! It isn't a universal pedal with a flip switch like my humans broken one, but has a reverse polarity to his Casio keyboard. Being a cat, I wasn't aware that you can get + and - keyboards and the pedal must match up...apparently Yamaha and Casio just don't get along (a bit like cats and dogs).
So,if you're buying a sustain pedal make sure that it's compatible (like cats and prawns) or that that it's a universal one that you can change at the flick of a switch (wish I could do that with next doors dog!). That's £35 of good prawn buying money down the drain! So, I've buried the Yamaha in my litter tray and got a(much cheaper but works great) SP2 Universal sustain pedal instead...

...and remember...be careful out there...when your human's using their sustain pedal...keep that tail out of the way!
Dec 08, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sustain Pedal Fix
by: TheRoybert

I was the repair for the Yamaha. I have a Roland pedal which is much easier. The switch is a simple button attached to a tiny board. the two leads attach to the board, but there is an unused path on the board that also says "on" and it is at the bottom instead of the top of the button's path.
If this is your type, you simply detach the soldered wire from one point and re-solder it to the unused point.
I had a Yamaha pedal that had the multi tongue connection that remained closed until depressed. Seemed like a whole lot of nonsense for an on off switch.
Oct 08, 2014
Rating
starstarstar 		Pedal issues
by: Anonymous

Hi all, i play piano for 20 years and had a new sustain pedal once a year. But in the last 6 months i bought 5 different pedals of several producers, and all brokes after few days!!

I'm guessing that my yahama S90 bought in 2004 (10 years ago) could send electrical thunders to pedals.

I'm spending all my richness for sustain pedals and i would like to stop.. Do you have any guess?
Thanks and sorry for my english.
Giuseppe from Italy
Jul 02, 2014
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starstarstarstar 		Korg Digital Piano / Roland Pedal with Reversed Polarity
by: Anonymous

I have recently borrowed a Korg digital piano with a Roland pedal. The pedal has a switch with options of "Continuous" and "Switch". I tried many variations of the methods described above for plugging/unplugging, but to no avail.

The comment about where to find the setting in the actual keyboard helped me, though, as I am unfamiliar with this piano.

The Korg piano has a "Global" button, which took me to Global Setup. There was a section called "Foot Pedal/Foot Switch Assign". I changed the Sustain Pedal Polarity, and played with the switch on the actual pedal itself, and found a combination that worked: "+" plus "Switch".

Hope this helps someone.
Jun 05, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		DGX 620 sustaining
by: Kitty

Interesting new problem --- with the pedal unplugged, sometimes the keyboard just starts to sustain all the time. Turning on and off does not always fix the problem.

Does the mean the keyboard is on it's last legs? Or is there some sort of major reset I can do? Or does this require a major repair?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Kitty
Sep 04, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		Changing Polarity on Sustain Pedals
by: FKCrawley

I have Korg and Yamaha keyboards and lots of sustain pedals that began to change. I read the comments on this page and they led me back to my KORG manual because the plug out-in method had no effect. I DID GO TO THE GLOBAL Menu. If you've never been there before follow the basics tab and then a drop down will appear. You can change the polarization there to fit whatever pedal you want to use, i.e. + or - and it won't affect your keyboard but your pedal WILL WORK!!!! If you have pedals with no external switch, this is your best and easiest solution. Especially if you are going LIVE!
Apr 18, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		thanks
by: KattSass

unplugged and did what was said, works great. Thanks
Feb 16, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		How to make foot pedals like Yamaha FC3 work correctly
by: Gerry H

SIMPLE! No need to mess with polarity wiring or switches.

Start by UNPLUGGING the pedal
Next Plug the pedal in again BEFORE SWITCHING ON then it will work perfectly
If you plug in WHEN THE KEYBOARD IS ALREADY ON the pedal will work In reverse and sustain all the time.
Dec 16, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		Pedal in Reverse polarity
by: STEVE

I have the Yamaha DGX-530 and the power off, unplug, plug back in, power back on trick did work. It reversed the polarity on my pedal. Thanks.
Mar 14, 2012
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starstarstar 		Does your keyboard have a "Function" setting?
by: JimG

If you have a P-155 (or similar), there is a "Function" in the unit itself for changing the footswitch(es) polarity. See the instruction manual in the "Function" section. Do be careful in that Function area: the manual does not give step-by-step as to how to get out of a section after changing it, and either leave Function altogether or go to a different sub-function. Works though. I'd like to see an answer directly from Yamaha on this one.
Dec 29, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Buy a dual polarity sustain pedal
by: Jay

Different manufacturers make different sustain pedals and some have positive polarity and others have negative. Buy the sustain pedal that is supported for your device or buy a dual polarity sustain pedal so that you can switch the polarity on different devices.
Nov 23, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sustain Fix
by: T2

Thank you, Thank you. The replacement pedal I bought had a polarity switch, and with one flip, I'm back in business.
Oct 17, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Yahama pedal in Casio CDP 200
by: Sangma

Using the sustain pedal of Yahama in Casio CDP200R, will it spoil the keyboard? The sustain pedal of yahama works reverse in Casio, but I'm going to change the polarity. So doing it, will affect in any way to the keyboard?
Jun 14, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		How to change polarity without a switch
by: Yamaha pedals always break

After working with Yamaha pedals for many years and throwing away about 10 of them, I've found that you can simply change the polarity by holding the pedal down while plugging it in to the back of your keyboard. This has worked for me before and corrected the problem.
Feb 05, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sustain Pedal working in reverse
by: CionePro

Thank you for your tip on the polarity switch on the pedal.

I can play without sounding like a thousand dreams trying to dream :)
Aug 22, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		sustain pedal in reverse - causing me brain damage
by: Anonymous

thank you thank you thank you - i thought i was going crazy ( perhaps i am but the pedal is fine now 0 again THANK YOU,
ss
Aug 15, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstar 		How to fix backward sustain pedal
by: Paul

I had the exact same problem with my Casio keyboard and a Yamaha sustain pedal I bought

I'm not an electrical genius, but I was able to get it to work by opening it up and doing a little modification. Of course I first just tried switching the white wire with the black one but that didn't change anything at all when I tried it. It turns out the Casio wants the circuit completed to sustain, and broken for no sustain, which is the opposite of what the Yamaha pedal does.

I opened it up and mine had three three flat metal strips let's call them Top, Middle and Bottom. The Middle and Bottom ones were joined together on the right side, and the Middle and Top ones were touching on the left side when the pedal was not pressed. These seperated when the pedal was pressed, thereby breaking the circuit because the wires were on the top plate and on the joined Middle/Bottom plate.

So to flip it I:
1. Unsoldered the Bottom wire
2. Cut apart the Bottom and Middle plates.
3. Bent the Middle plate to touch the Top plate instead and soldered those together
4. Soldered the Bottom wire back on.

That's it! Once I figured it out, it took only a few minutes to fix.

Good luck!
Aug 04, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		not working
by: Anonymous

We have tried this several times and it is not working for us either. 35 years of playing and yamaha never lets you down with simple tasks undone.
Feb 27, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		The sustain pedal works in reverse - Fix
by: Andy

I also had this problem when I first set up the piano. I discovered that i had the piano powered up when I initially plugged in the cord for the pedals. All I did was turn the piano off, unplugged the pedal cord, waited a few minutes, plugged the pedal cord back in again, then powered up the piano. Problem solved!
Dec 20, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		No good for me.
by: MO8 user

Ok, i tried the power off power on trick. Nothing worked. I tried too look for a switch on the pedal. Still nothing. Is there something i have to do to assisng the pedal to sustain? I just bought this tihing yesterday and still have not been able to figure it out. I have a PC-4 pedal which i beleive is complatible. Any help here would be sweet bceause i have to use it this sunday.
Oct 14, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		This Workeef 4 Me
by: Anonymous

turn off keyboard unplug pedal, then re plug pedal turn on keyboard...Presto should reverse the sustain polarity
Oct 14, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		SUSTAIN PEDAL REV POLARITY
by: zak2008

I use portable Yamaha 413 keyboard has a sustain pedal Input. The manual says, if it's not sustaining when Yamaha pedal is depressed, turn off keyboard Re-Insert Sustain Pedal 1/4" plug THEN turn keyboard on without depressing pedal to resolved reverse sustain pedal issue.
Oct 13, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		DAMP PROBLEM ?
by: Anonymous

YOU SURELY NEED TO FLIP THE SWITCH ON THE PEDDLE. HAPPY DAMPING ..JAZZRAY
Jun 18, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Your Pedal polarity don't match with your Keyboard.
by: Mario

What you need to do is to change the polarity of your pedal. Maybe there is a swicht on your pedal or on your Keyboard input. Pedals never go wrong the problem is that not each pedal work with every Keyboard-Piano. The solution ? Try to change the polarity, that's a matter of cabling and soldering when there is not a switch on board.

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