What is the meaning of "pedale" in musical instructions?

In musical instructions, "pedale" refers specifically to the action of using the foot pedal of a keyboard instrument, such as a piano or organ. This term originates from the Italian word for pedal, and it signifies that the performer should engage the sustain pedal or another pedal that alters the sound produced by the instrument. In piano music, using the pedal can enhance the music by allowing notes to resonate longer or creating a particular tonal quality that wouldn’t be achieved through finger strikes alone.

Other choices refer to hands or dynamics in music: right hand and left hand pertain to the specific hands on the instrument used for playing notes, while playing softly indicates dynamics related to volume. However, none of these capture the specific action conveyed by "pedale," which emphasizes the importance of the foot pedal in achieving the desired musical effect.