Shoes or No Shoes, That is The Question??

[Ian Rae]

My feet are too sensitive for socks, let alone nothing.

When I started a couple years back I could only play in one particular pair of old trainers, which is fine for a beginner - the fewer variables the better.

I aspire to being able to play in whatever I happen to be wearing, but I'm not there yet.

[Richard Alderson]

I think this is a very instructive thread. Just two weeks previous I had started to use some soft moccasins to practice. I realized that they provided so much more sensory information to my brain than wearing shoes. I am still a learner with a long way to go, I need all the advantages I can get. Those of you who began pushing pedals at age 20 or 25 have developed so many synapses in your brains, its automatic for you. Others who began later, such as myself, are still developing some of the critical synapses and nerve pathways that make everything feel instinctive. It definitely helps to find the right pedals to have the extra sensory input of a soft sole or even just socks. And of course the touch of grace notes and accents with pedals. I couldn't do bare foot - Ouch ! But those of you who play in public without properly covering up your stinking feet need to learn some more manners. In my humble opinion of course.

[John Billings]

Your feet become part of the machine.

[Tom Gorr]

Some of the early steels had visual barriers so you couldn't see anything going on under the steel. A privacy shield? Maybe us sock guys need a curtain to hide our stinking feet behind. .. lol

[Erv Niehaus]

It maybe doesn't matter too much what kind of shoes you wear but you must be consistent about it. I find if I switch shoes, I get a different feel on the pedals, especially engaging the A pedal together with the B. If I change shoes I find myself not pushing the A pedal down far enough and I'm out of tune.

[Ian Rae]

Erv, that is most heartening - I thought it was just me with the A/B problem. I suppose the answer is to make it part of the warm-up, so that by the time your fingers have found the strings, you foot has found the pedals.

I shall let you know if it helps

[Erv Niehaus]

Ian,
There is always a balancing problem with the A and B pedals.
Sometimes you have trouble with holding the B pedal down and sometimes it's the A pedal. It seems like I'm always adjusting the height of those two pedals.

[Patrick Strain]

I'm always a sock player. Occasionally barefoot. I feel no shame.

[Dick Chapple Sr]

Oh ouch on barefoot playing, socks without shoes won't do it for me either. shoes as Erv said, I have to be consistant with my shoes. I wear Keens which are rather wide in the front and not so pointy. If I try my dressier shoes, a bit narrower and more pointier, I have trouble with home base.
For those with socks, why not make neat statements with designer socks, maybe socks that appear to be shoes and socks combined? Or socks that are made to look like those exquisite Italian shoes, or look like a pair of alligators with their jaws open... maybe a new reality designer contest for us steelers??

[Karl Paulsen]

Resurrecting an old thread here, but bear with me.

I'd been experiencing a bit of discomfort rolling my foot between the A and B pedal. I tried it with no shoes and it was a revelation. Really comfortable!

I ended up with the ball of my foot behind the big toe planted on the B pedal and the majority of my toes pushing on the A. My toes were a bit curled, but there ended up being almost no lateral rotation of my foot. Sounds weird maybe, but it worked very well, perhaps because I used to rock climb alot so really working my toes comes pretty naturally.

This leads me to my question.

For those who play in socks or soft moccasins, do you rock your whole foot side to side, or is it more about using different parts of your foot to avoid that motion?

Now I've got to buy an extra nice pair of thick black socks or a pair of mocs...


One last point of interest. I did a bit of research, and it appears that while -as with pedal steel- playing organ shod is the norm, there are quite a few organists who play without shoes, especially at home.

[David Dorwart]

Here in Florida I split the difference by wearing a slip on like Sperry Topsider ( boat shoe? ) or some other easy to slide into type shoe on my left pedal foot and barefoot on the right volume pedal foot. I just keep one shoe under the steel so when I sit down to play it’s there and easy to slip into

[Ian Worley]

Here's another option:

[Dana Blodgett]

No shoes, No socks, No Shame! I do what works for me.
Years ago before being a diabetic I wore nice pointy toed high heel Tony Lamas…nowadays I can’t “feel” the pedals with shoes on. Barefoot or socks helps me plus I live in a beach community.

[Allen Merrell]

I am not a professional player I play at home in my music room. I use socks or bare feet I seem to have problem with shoes and feel. I can at times play wearing Dockers. I have nerve damage in my left leg that causes numbness to the side of it so pants cause problems when raising my E's I added a stronger return spring so I can feel the resistance else I put pressure on it and raise the E's when I don't want to Thus I wear shorts or my boxers. I have been kind of poked at here for mentioning it but I don't care. I love to play I may not sound as good as I want it to so I practice, Practice practice. Accuracy is the key I am after so if bare feet and boxers help me accomplish it in relaxed comfort this is what I will do. We are all different so what works for one don't work for all so go with what works for you. Now the clothing thing may cause a problem in public so you will have to work around it.

[Jack Hargraves]

I can play in cowboy boots, dress shoes, tennis shoes if they have a flat sole. I tried sock feet, but my feet are so sensitive that I can't do it. I say whatever feels best to you. However, I wouldn't and don't play with sock feet.

[Erv Niehaus]

I find that these work out the best:

[Terry Winter]

Years ago when starting I decided that I would play in whatever I was wearing. Cowboy boot, shoes even have a pair of dress winter boots I have used. Oh yea, practice a lot in my music room with socks on. Lol the winter boots are a little harder but when 40 below out, Ill make due.

[Andy DePaule]

I play without shoes in the house.
We don't keep shoes on in the house to keep the house clean.
In the summer it's also no socks.
Someone mentioned smelly sweaty feet? We wash our feet so no smell.

The big plus is that you can feel the pedals much better.
I drive that way too!

When I played gigs I had soft bottom shoes that I prefer anyway.
I've not worn boots since I got out of the army in 1968, hate them or any stiff shoes on my feet. I even use running shoes with a suit on.

[Karl Paulsen]

Bought a cheap pair of mocs from Walmart. Nice for shuffling around the house, but they have rubber soles and didn't feel any better than my chucks for playing.

Went back to barefoot and I'm still loving my new technique of ball of big toe on B and the rest of the toes on A. Going to buy some sturdy and comfortable socks now as I think I've found my way forward.