MIDI pedal messages stuck on? How to test it

You release a pedal, but notes keep ringing or a control stays active. The cause could be the pedal, the keyboard, a USB-C MIDI adapter, or a release message that never reaches the computer.

The MIDI Test shows incoming MIDI messages in your browser. Use it to check what the computer receives when you press and release the pedal, before changing settings in your music software.

Test the pedal messages

1. Open the MIDI Test in a browser other than Safari. MIDI Test does not work in Safari.
2. Connect the keyboard or MIDI interface through the USB-C adapter. If the browser asks for MIDI access, allow it, then choose the correct MIDI input if a device list appears.
3. With the pedal released, watch the incoming messages. Press the pedal once, hold it briefly, then release it. Repeat slowly several times and note which message changes.
4. Try a few keyboard notes with the pedal released, then press and release the pedal while holding a note. Check whether messages arrive for both the press and release.
5. If you have more than one MIDI input, repeat the test with each one selected. Keep the pedal and keyboard connected to the same setup while comparing.

A browser test shows messages reaching the selected input. It does not tell you how a particular instrument or music app assigns those messages to sound.

What the result means

CC 64 stays at 64 or higher after you release the pedal

CC 64 is the standard sustain-pedal control. Values from 64 to 127 normally mean sustain is on, while values from 0 to 63 mean it is off. If the value never drops after release, the computer is not receiving the off state. The pedal may be misconfigured, the adapter may be missing data, or the keyboard may not be sending the release.

CC 64 returns to 0 to 63, but notes keep ringing in one app

The test received the pedal release. Check the app's selected MIDI input and pedal assignment, then try another instrument or project. If the problem happens only in one app, the pedal and adapter are less likely to be the cause.

A Note On message appears, but no release follows

Keyboard notes normally end with a Note Off message. Some devices send a Note On message with velocity zero to mean the same thing. If neither release appears when you lift a key, investigate the keyboard, its connection, or the adapter, not only the pedal.

The pedal sends changing values rather than a simple on or off

An expression pedal or configurable controller can send a range of values. That can be normal. If the reading stays near one end of the range or jumps while the pedal is still, check its calibration and assignment in the keyboard or controller settings.

No pedal messages appear

The pedal may connect to the keyboard and not send messages directly to the computer. In that common setup, press a key while using the pedal and look for the keyboard's pedal messages on its MIDI input. If no messages appear at all, check that the correct input is selected and that the browser has access.

How to fix it

1. Check the pedal's position at startup. Some keyboards read the pedal state when they power on. Unplug the pedal, release it fully, reconnect it, and restart the keyboard with the pedal untouched.
2. Check pedal polarity and the jack. Make sure the pedal is in the sustain jack, not an expression or assignable jack. If the pedal has a polarity switch, try the other position. For more on this symptom, see how to test sustain pedal polarity.
3. Check the MIDI connection direction. If the keyboard uses five-pin MIDI cables, connect its MIDI OUT to the interface's MIDI IN. Match the labels on both ends. A USB-C connector adapter does not change the direction of the MIDI ports.
4. Reconnect the adapter and simplify the chain. Disconnect and reconnect the USB-C adapter. If possible, test without a hub, dock, or extension cable. Try another USB-C port, and avoid moving several cables at once so you can identify what changes.
5. Test one part at a time. Try a different pedal with the same keyboard, or the same pedal with another compatible keyboard. If the issue follows the pedal, replace or repair it. If it follows the USB-C adapter or MIDI interface, test another interface or cable.
6. Check that the computer sees the interface. On Windows 11, right-click Start and open Device Manager, then look under the device categories for the MIDI interface. On macOS, open Applications › Utilities › Audio MIDI Setup, then choose Window › Show MIDI Studio. If it is missing, reconnect it or check the manufacturer's driver instructions.
7. Recheck the receiving app. Choose the intended MIDI input in the app and confirm the pedal is assigned to sustain or the intended control. Close and reopen the app after reconnecting the interface so it refreshes its device list.

When it's the hardware

If the same pedal fails with more than one compatible keyboard, but another pedal works, the pedal or its cable is likely faulty. If several pedals and keyboards show missing release messages only through one interface, the interface or USB-C connection is the stronger suspect. A worn pedal switch or damaged cable usually needs replacement. If the interface is under warranty, save a short record of the test result and contact the seller or manufacturer.

Why a pedal can sound stuck even when it isn't

A sustain pedal holds notes that are already sounding. If its off message is lost, those notes may continue until the instrument receives a new off state, resets, or stops playback. A test can show whether the release message arrived, but it cannot clear a stuck note inside the sound-producing app. Stop playback or restart the instrument, then repeat the test with a fresh note.

Change one connection or setting at a time, and repeat the same press and release test after each change.