# Musical Notation: "1 C." and "3 C." ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 24, 2008, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330 "2008-10-24T11:11:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TokenRing](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokenring/32/3559_2.png) [@TokenRing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokenRing)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/1 "2008-10-24T11:11:44Z")
I have a piano score (The Einaudi Collection since you ask) and on some of the pieces there is every now and then the notation “1 C.” or “3 C.” underneath the stave. They seem to coincide with the start of a new phrase but not every new phrase. Not every piece in the book has them (maybe 3 or 4 out of 20ish) Any ideas what they mean? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/2 "2008-10-24T11:23:51Z")
1 C. stands for _una corda_ (‘one string’), indicating use of the soft (left) pedal, and 3 C. cancels the instruction. > **[Soft pedal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Una_corda)** > > The soft pedal or una corda pedal (Italian for 'one string'), is one of the standard pedals on a piano, generally placed leftmost among the pedals. On a grand piano this pedal shifts the whole action (including the keyboard) slightly to the right, so that the hammers which normally strike all three of the strings for a note strike only two of them. This softens the note and also modifies its tone quality. Tone quality is also affected by forcing the remaining two strings being struck to make cont... ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/3 "2008-10-24T11:52:30Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > 1 C. stands for _una corda_ (‘one string’), indicating use of the soft (left) pedal, and 3 C. cancels the instruction. > > [Soft pedal - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Una_corda) You know, I’d have understood that perfectly in Italian, but I’d not seen the abbreviation before. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/4 "2008-10-24T12:19:29Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > You know, I’d have understood that perfectly in Italian, but I’d not seen the abbreviation before. Nor have I, that I can recall, but I’d been practising a piece with an _una corda_ instruction only a few minutes before, which meant it was the first thing that came to mind! ---
**Author:** ![TokenRing](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokenring/32/3559_2.png) [@TokenRing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokenRing)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/5 "2008-10-24T12:52:03Z")
So thats what the break pedal on my piano’s for. Thanks GorillaMan ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/6 "2008-10-24T15:29:30Z")
Nah, the _una corda_ is the clutch; it’s the _sostenuto_ that’s the brake. I guess the fourth pedal on a Fazioli is the hood release. ---
**Author:** ![TokenRing](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokenring/32/3559_2.png) [@TokenRing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokenRing)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/7 "2008-10-24T15:36:23Z")
O dear, I guess I mis-understood. My piano must be and automatic 'cos it’s only got a break and an accelerator - which I guess means I’m out of luck playing \*una corda \* - do you think it’s possible to retro-fit a clutch? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/8 "2008-10-24T16:45:42Z")
> [@TokenRing](#): > > O dear, I guess I mis-understood. My piano must be and automatic 'cos it’s only got a break and an accelerator - which I guess means I’m out of luck playing \*una corda \* Don’t worry, what you’re missing is the brake. Just hope that there’s a steep incline when you need it. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/9 "2008-10-24T16:52:04Z")
Nah, unlike a car, the pedal in the middle is the first one to get cut. The damper, or sustain is on the left, and it is absolutely necessary. (It’s one of the chief differences between a piano and a harpsichord - you just can’t play much post-Haydn/Mozart without one.) The una corda (far left) does different things depending on your piano’s design. On grand pianos, it shifts the hammers over so they only strike one string per note instead of 3. On most uprights, they change the position of the hammers so they are closer to the strings, reducing the amount of force with which they can strike the strings. Less force = softer sound. The middle pedal is a sostenuto on full grands, which allows the pianist to play a chord, depress the pedal, and only the notes of that chord will be sustained. Some pianos have a middle pedal that will sustain only the bass notes. Some pianos have a middle pedal that’s just there for decoration, and some don’t even have it at all. ETA: D’oh! Gorilla Man beat me to it again! ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/10 "2008-10-24T17:14:15Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > Nah, the _una corda_ is the clutch; it’s the _sostenuto_ that’s the brake. > > I guess the fourth pedal on a Fazioli is the hood release. So the extra keys on a Bösendorfer are what, the fuse box? EDIT: Or, for a right-hand-drive, the glove box? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/11 "2008-10-24T17:27:03Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > The damper, or sustain is on the left… > > ETA: D’oh! Gorilla Man beat me to it again! He’s also going to point out your mistake 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/12 "2008-10-25T04:14:58Z")
I am doomed, for even my wits abandon me. I meant the other left, the foot that’s usually in my mouth. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/13 "2008-10-25T13:11:38Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > The middle pedal is a sostenuto on full grands, which allows the pianist to play a chord, depress the pedal, and only the notes of that chord will be sustained. Some pianos have a middle pedal that will sustain only the bass notes. Some pianos have a middle pedal that’s just there for decoration, and some don’t even have it at all. Some (specifically Yamahas) have a “studio” pedal there, which drastically cuts the sound for practicing in less than soundproof areas. It works by dropping a sheet of felt between the hammers and the strings. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/14 "2008-10-25T14:18:33Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > Some (specifically Yamahas) have a “studio” pedal there, which drastically cuts the sound for practicing in less than soundproof areas. It works by dropping a sheet of felt between the hammers and the strings. The distinctive sound this creates is exploited by Gyorgy Kurtag, performing his own duets alongside Bartok and Bach, on a muted piano which is then subtley amplified. Very much worth hearing, if you ever get the opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-notation-1-c-and-3-c/469330/15 "2008-10-25T16:01:37Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > The distinctive sound this creates is exploited by Gyorgy Kurtag, performing his own duets alongside Bartok and Bach, on a muted piano which is then subtley amplified. Very much worth hearing, if you ever get the opportunity. And UIVMM the cheap old upright we had for a while when I was young used this as its only soft-pedal mechanism.