diff --git a/buildscripts/lilypond-words.py b/buildscripts/lilypond-words.py
index 46b616b..23e49de 100755
--- a/buildscripts/lilypond-words.py
+++ b/buildscripts/lilypond-words.py
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ for line in ['/( - _ /) -',
              '//relative - % { _ } -',
              '//score - { //n /? //simultaneous { //n _ //n } /! //n //paper {  } //n /? //midi {  } //n /! } //n -',
              '//simultaneous - { _ } -',
-             '//sustainDown - _ //sustainUp -',
+             '//sustainOn - _ //sustainOff -',
              '//times - % { _ } -',
              '//transpose - % { _ } -',
              ]:
diff --git a/ly/spanners-init.ly b/ly/spanners-init.ly
index 60989ed..b837a40 100644
--- a/ly/spanners-init.ly
+++ b/ly/spanners-init.ly
@@ -84,14 +84,14 @@ setHairpinDim = {
 
 
 % better name sustainstart/stop? 
-sustainUp = #(make-span-event 'SustainEvent STOP)
-sustainDown = #(make-span-event 'SustainEvent START)
+sustainOff = #(make-span-event 'SustainEvent STOP)
+sustainOn = #(make-span-event 'SustainEvent START)
 
 unaCorda = #(make-span-event 'UnaCordaEvent START)
 treCorde = #(make-span-event 'UnaCordaEvent STOP)
 
-sostenutoDown = #(make-span-event 'SostenutoEvent START)
-sostenutoUp = #(make-span-event 'SostenutoEvent STOP)
+sostenutoOn = #(make-span-event 'SostenutoEvent START)
+sostenutoOff = #(make-span-event 'SostenutoEvent STOP)
 
 %crescpoco = \set crescendoText = "cresc. poco a poco"
 %decresc = \set crescendoText = "decr."
diff --git a/python/convertrules.py b/python/convertrules.py
index 22ed07a..f49a18f 100644
--- a/python/convertrules.py
+++ b/python/convertrules.py
@@ -3033,3 +3033,13 @@ def conv (str):
 
 conversions.append (((2, 11, 38), conv, """\\setEasyHeads -> \\easyHeadsOn, \\fatText -> \\textLengthOn,
 \\emptyText -> \\textLengthOff"""))
+
+def conv (str):
+    str = re.sub (r"sustainDown", r"sustainOn", str)
+    str = re.sub (r"sustainUp", r"sustainOff", str)
+    str = re.sub (r"sostenutoDown", r"sostenutoOn", str)
+    str = re.sub (r"sostenutoUp", r"sostenutoOff", str)
+    return str
+
+conversions.append (((2, 11, 44), conv, """\\sustainDown -> \\sustainOn, \\sustainUp -> \\sustainOff,
+\\sostenutoDown -> \\sostenutoOn, \\sostenutoUp -> \\sostenutoOff"""))
diff --git a/python/musicexp.py b/python/musicexp.py
index 0346e91..f95abb9 100644
--- a/python/musicexp.py
+++ b/python/musicexp.py
@@ -853,9 +853,9 @@ class BeamEvent (SpanEvent):
 
 class PedalEvent (SpanEvent):
     def ly_expression (self):
-        return {-1: '\\sustainDown',
-            0:'\\sustainUp\\sustainDown',
-            1:'\\sustainUp'}.get (self.span_direction, '')
+        return {-1: '\\sustainOn',
+            0:'\\sustainOff\\sustainOn',
+            1:'\\sustainOff'}.get (self.span_direction, '')
 
 class TextSpannerEvent (SpanEvent):
     def ly_expression (self):
diff --git a/scm/define-music-display-methods.scm b/scm/define-music-display-methods.scm
index b1b9111..c403d0a 100644
--- a/scm/define-music-display-methods.scm
+++ b/scm/define-music-display-methods.scm
@@ -234,8 +234,8 @@
 (define-span-event-display-method CrescendoEvent (event parser) #f "\\<" "\\!")
 (define-span-event-display-method DecrescendoEvent (event parser) #f "\\>" "\\!")
 (define-span-event-display-method PhrasingSlurEvent (event parser) #f "\\(" "\\)")
-(define-span-event-display-method SustainEvent (event parser) #f "\\sustainDown" "\\sustainUp")
-(define-span-event-display-method SostenutoEvent (event parser) #f "\\sostenutoDown" "\\sostenutoUp")
+(define-span-event-display-method SustainEvent (event parser) #f "\\sustainOn" "\\sustainOff")
+(define-span-event-display-method SostenutoEvent (event parser) #f "\\sostenutoOn" "\\sostenutoOff")
 (define-span-event-display-method TextSpanEvent (event parser) #f "\\startTextSpan" "\\stopTextSpan")
 (define-span-event-display-method TrillSpanEvent (event parser) #f "\\startTrillSpan" "\\stopTrillSpan")
 (define-span-event-display-method StaffSpanEvent (event parser) #f "\\startStaff" "\\stopStaff")