A foot pedal apparatus for operating a musical instrument, comprising an
elongated footboard including a hinge plate fixed to the rear portion of
the footboard and a stationary heel plate with a front portion. A hinge
assembly couples the hinge plate at the footboard rear portion to the
heel plate front portion and enables the footboard to pivot relative to
the heel plate, wherein the hinge plate may be fixed at different
positions on the footboard to adjust a length of the footboard relative
to the axle. A portion of the heel plate may be repositioned between the
hinge shaft and the footboard to define the extended footboard. As a
result, the torque provided by the footboard can be adjusted to adjust
the feel of the pedal and to accommodate feet of different sizes.
Additionally, spherical bearings on the hinge shaft improve the function
of the pedal assembly by compensating for a slightly misaligned axle.