The Steel Guitar Forum

Hey folks, so I'm a bit of an oddball. I play barefoot, always have. I can feel the pedals better and feel that I have more control, especially for slow precise bends. My teacher wasn't a big fan of this approach, but it works for me and I'm not planning on turning back. I'm also a So Cal boy that rarely wears real shoes anyway, so playing in them is impractical. I can't believe so many of y'all play in cowboy boots!

As I start to get bigger gigs, I'm feeling more uncomfortable about being barefoot on stage from a professionalism point of view. I played one dressy gig where I just did the show in black socks, and that was fine, but not ideal.

My question is, does anyone know of anything out there that looks professional but is almost as flexible as a sock? I know there are some other barefoot/sock players out there, what do you do at gigs?

How long have you been playing? I'm a relative beginner and prefer playing barefoot/socks too... and for the same reasons. I have a lot more control on the slow bends. My feet and toes are also more strong and nimble than normal. You can really add another dimension by how you time your bends.

I went through a phase where I decided that I just had to become comfortable playing with shoes too. It was a lot easier than I thought it'd be. I'm probably still not as accurate or precise with shoes than without, but I don't feel uncomfortable playing with shoes. I just did trial and error with the different kinds of shoes I own. I can't tell you what factors go into a good playing shoe for me. A pair of my casual boots work fine but then my smaller and more flexible dress shoes don't. Shoes with pointy toes don't work well.

Thanks for the reply Curt. I'm about 6 years in, and am really not planning on switching - it's part of my style and I like it. Interesting that you found softer dress shoes to be worse...maybe I'll have to experiment.

Tabi, those thin-soled martial arts shoes with toes?

I have no experience with any of these, I think the first pic is similar to what Lane is talking about.

For a dressy gig, I think any of those options would be decidedly more out of place than black socks.

A dressy gig? How about putting hair gel on your foot hair and some nail polish

I like these. They have a pretty flexible sole and look good. Plus they are a legendary Aussie shoe!

Actually 2 and 3vwere more like what I had in mind. And you can find them in black

I picked up a pair of Minnetonka Men's Double Bottom Fleece Slippers from amazon.com and they seem to work well -- I did order them two sizes larger than my shoe size tho. (read the comments at amazon for more info)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XAW30W/ref ... _ST1_dp_i1

you take a pair of socks and paint um like shoes!??

I play with just my left foot bare. I take my left boot off before each set starts, then i put it back on when on break. Easy peasy.

I bought mine from Wally World as water shoes. They look like black tennis shoes and are really comfy and lets me feel the pedals. They are $9.00 you throw them in your seat for the next gig. I have posted this before and people commented on how comfy they are.

I'm well into the Jeff Newman teaching video's and it looks like he plays with cowboy boots. I'm not sure that there's a better player than Jeff. Gotta get me some cowboy boots.

Buddy often played in sneakers.
Hank Ruf plays in stocking feet.

Every footwear thread, I'll offer the same input to novices:
Changing footwear will make things feel different, and while you're still learning to impose your will on these things, the difference will distract you.
For the first three years or so, stick to the same style of footwear, whether it's mocs, sneaks, boots or socks.
After that point, you're less likely to get distracted.

what's next? playing with no pants?

everyone's 'special quirkiness' is a little ridiculous to me.

I get a lot of complaints about my extra knee lever, when I don't wear pants.

I carry soft sole loafers in my Pac-a-Seat and wear them when playing. It gives me better feel than my street shoes. I never could play effectively with boots.

A few years back on a hot summer's day I was practicing at home, barefoot, and made this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVf84f6xrBw

I almost always wear shoes while playing. The alternative can be painful.

Kung Fu shoes! I prefer the cotton soled ones... they also come in a plastic sole. Classy looking, usually about 10 bucks. You can keep a pair in your guitar case or in the back of an amp.

Also handy if a fight breaks out

Years ago Jeff used to do a one week training class sponsored by the Clement family, in my home town of Hickory, NC. I remember asking him then about bare foot playing. His answer was "don't do it". He said to wear a hard sole shoe with a heel, and said that he preferred cowboy boots. I didn't agree with him at the time, but as I learned and played more I came to appreciate his wisdom. Now I can play in any kind of shoe. Cowboy boots with a heel work best for me though.

Getting the pedals a little higher off the floor is the key with cowboy boots.

My favorite:

Yes indeed ERV, I use very similar comfortable shoes too . JAMES TAYLOR

you guys'll fit right in at the davey crockett 'wild frontier' bar n grill!

erv...have you kept track of how many times you've posted your mocassin picture?

If I can play from 1980 until 2006 in socks and then switch to cowboy boots, then anyone can do it. I never thought I'd play in shoes of any kind because I felt I had better feel of what was going on down below but it really isn't hard to switch. I think considering the relatively short time you've been playing, you are probably focusing on the mechanics of what you are doing versus the playing part being second hand where you're not having to think about it.

There are a multitude of shoes to pick from but just choose something that matches you clothes...LOL

I have beautiful Mullen G2. The RKL left doesn't suit me so i took a leather glove and rapped it with duct tape to increase its girth. It is ugly as hell. No one has noticed. 99% of people don't even notice you have knee levers. I'm pretty sure a black sock is all you will need.