the most common method of controlling the louvers is the balanced swell pedal. this device is usually placed above the centre of the pedalboard and is configured to rotate away from the organist from a near-vertical position (in which the shades are closed) to a near-horizontal position (in which the shades are open). an organ may also have a similar-looking crescendo pedal, found alongside any expression pedals. pressing the crescendo pedal forward cumulatively activates the stops of the organ, starting with the softest and ending with the loudest; pressing it backwards reverses this process.