The pedal polarity is reversed. Manufacturers use opposite conventions, so a pedal wired the other way round sustains permanently until you press it — behavior that reads as a fault and is not one.
The ten-second test
Play a note, hold the pedal down, then release the note. If the note stops while the pedal is down, the polarity is reversed.
Why it happens at all
There is no single convention across manufacturers for which state means “pressed”. A pedal built for one brand can behave backwards on another, and neither is defective.
The fix that always works
A universal pedal with a polarity switch on the body. It works with Casio, Yamaha, Roland, Alesis and MIDI controllers alike, which is why we list one across so many instruments.
The questions players ask
How do I fix it?
Use a pedal with a polarity switch and flip it, or use the pedal the instrument maker sells. Some instruments also have a pedal polarity setting in their menu.
Will it damage the keyboard?
No. It is a switch state, not an electrical fault, and nothing is harmed by the wrong polarity on a sustain footswitch.
Last reviewed 2026-08-18