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Topic: Barefoot player problems... |
Jake Bopp
From:
Tallahassee, FL
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Posted 3 Nov 2022 1:55 pm |
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My pedals SHRED my foot when I'm playing. I can't feel through a boot, and I'll wear holes in my socks if I play in those. I have gone through and filed/polished off the rough edges, but the ridged/grippy pedals still cause me great pain.
Has anyone made a slip cover, or am I going to have to fabricate something to slide over these? I played two Mullens last weekend and both of those steels were much easier on the foot. |
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Bryce Van Parys
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 3 Nov 2022 3:38 pm
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I settled on leather sole moccasins. They work great and are presentable on stage
_________________
Bryce
Double bass, Mike Lull V4, G&L SB2 electric bass, Stratocaster, Telecaster, Les Paul, Martin D18GE, |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 3 Nov 2022 3:49 pm
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| Once upon a time someone posted some pictures of pedals that were covered with the cut off fingers of leather work gloves slipped over them. |
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James Parsley
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 3 Nov 2022 4:17 pm
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| A few years back I was practicing barefoot. I started experiencing pain in my left foot from the pedals. I started practicing wearing bedroom slippers and the pain went away. Eventually the pedals wore a hole in the slippers and I threw them out. Now I play in my Van's or other Converse style thin flat bottom style sneakers. I can't play at all in my work boots. I've haven't tried playing in cowboy boots. I'm not that cool yet. |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 3 Nov 2022 7:30 pm
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You need to wear shoes or moccasins to protect your feet, Or cover the pedals to protect your feet.
If you have a local leather shop or hobby leather worker, They could make covers for the pedals, Sewing or lacing the covers to the pedals, Would make the leather part of the pedal. Could even dye them to match the guitar.
When I worked in my friends custom leather shop, That sounds like a project Jack would take.
Good Luck and Happy Steelin. |
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scott murray
From:
Asheville, NC
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Posted 3 Nov 2022 8:09 pm
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a thin pair of sneakers should do the trick. Converse Chuck Taylors or something comparable
_________________
1965 Emmons S-10, 3x5 • Emmons LLIII D-10, 10x12 • JCH D-10, 10x12 • Beard MA-8 • Oahu Tonemaster |
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Dave Grafe
From:
Hudson River Valley NY
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Posted 4 Nov 2022 5:21 am
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| Bryce Van Parys wrote: |
| I settled on leather sole moccasins. They work great and are presentable on stage |
What Bryce said, although it has been many years since but there was a time, back in the barefoot hippie days of a previous century 😎 but when it's February and the shows are in Alaska it's time to get real.
It all depends on your intention. Few artists are so obviously talented and accomplished that they can do their own thing in public with any degree of success. If you’re into Dead jams a T-shirt and bare feet are chill, but unless you are pure genius you're not likely to be offered work with a contemporary touring act without paying attention to the dress code.
Ultimately I had to get over my limitations when the calls came and I quickly learned to play in shoes, boots, sandals, and even occasionally barefoot.
Last edited by Dave Grafe on 4 Nov 2022 7:16 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Brian Spratt
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 4 Nov 2022 5:32 am
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| I recently started using wrestling shoes and couldn't be happier. I bought a pair of Asics Matflex 6. Compared to regular tennis shoes, they fit more snug all around, they are lighter, and the sole is thinner and more flexible. From a distance, they just look like regular tennis shoes. I'm really surprised more people don't go this route. Seems perfect to me. |
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Roy Carroll
From:
North of a Round Rock
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Posted 4 Nov 2022 5:58 am
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I play in cowboy boots and find that I cannot play in tennis shoes. The boots I play in have a square toe and leather sole. I can feel the pedals with NP. The new style square toes do not interfere with the pedal rods. Buddy Emmons played in pointed toe cowboy boots until he no longer had to.
I have no idea how he did it in those "roach stompers". All talent I reckon! 
_________________
Just north of the Weird place, south of Georgetown |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 4 Nov 2022 8:04 am
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| What Dave Grafe said. Unless you are not looking for a gig, figure out how to play in footwear that will pass dress code. Or your own hygiene code, fer cripesake. |
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Jake Bopp
From:
Tallahassee, FL
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Posted 4 Nov 2022 4:26 pm
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It appears I'm going to be making some aluminum covers with soft bevels for my steel. Wrestling shoes really make good sense to me, I'm going to see if I can find a pair cheap, second hand.
I'm not too worried about dress code, and I don't think I'd be playing with anyone who is worried about me having one shoe off to better play my instrument. I'm usually in my dirty mechanic duds, regardless. Time is short, and I live 27 miles from where I would mostly be playing... Ya get whatcha get.
Thanks for the words of wisdom, all! |
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Josh Yenne
From:
Sonoma California
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Posted 12 Nov 2022 2:06 am
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| Are u all gigging? When u are playing live inevitably folks will stare at your feet. It’s a job right? Is anyone really going to a job barefoot or with tennis shoes? I mean at home whatever but seems like one should be prepared to dress the part, top and bottom, when going out. ? |
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Per Berner
From:
Skovde, Sweden
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Posted 12 Nov 2022 6:09 am
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Try to find a bit of thick rubber mat (at least 1/8"), cut out some pieces slightly wider than the pedals, bevel the edges and glue them on (or use hi-strength double sided adhesive tape). That's what I did with my Zum, and now I can play in just socks without problems. That hurt like h-e-double-hockey-sticks before, and whenever I wanted to play the right shoes for the job happened to be downstairs, never anywhere near...
Last edited by Per Berner on 12 Nov 2022 6:15 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Charlie Hansen
From:
Halifax, NS Canada and Various Southern Towns.
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Posted 12 Nov 2022 6:13 am
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Anne Murray sang in the biggest venues in the world in bare feet. Of course she didn't play steel.
_________________
I don't know much but what I know I know very well.
Carter S-10 3X5, Peavey Nashville 112, plus Regal dobro and too many other instruments to mention.
Bluegrass Island CFCY FM 95.1 Charlottetown, PE, Canada, on the web at cfcy.fm.
A Touch Of Texas CIOE FM 97.5 Sackville, NS, Canada,
on the web at cioe975.ca. |
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Dave Hopping
From:
Aurora, Colorado
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 12 Nov 2022 8:14 am
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I understand wanting to get a good feel on the pedals. But I would not play barefoot. Especially on a crappy bar/club stage where the electrical service may be questionable. I generally take an outlet tester to make sure there are no reversed plugs and that grounding is correct. But that does not fix every problem, especially when band mates don't do the same and/or there are issues with any of the equipment. And sometimes things get rushed and mistakes get made.
Let me put it this way. Have you ever gotten shocked touching a mic while holding your guitar onstage? This is much more problematic if you're barefoot. I generally test for this kind of thing when playing out, and I have to run down problems fairly often. A lot of times, band members don't understand this stuff. Sometimes it's the house wiring, but more often it's a reversed or otherwise messed up ground on a band member's equipment. And are you even that confident of your home wiring and all of your equipment?
Get some footwear that will both be very comfortable and insulate your feet from the floor. As has already been stated, there are many choices. |
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Josh Yenne
From:
Sonoma California
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Posted 12 Nov 2022 8:54 am
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I also don’t know how long the original poster has been playing. But I remember at the beginning for a while. Everything had to be exactly perfect. The steel had to be totally level, and I had to be at the exact same millimeter heights it felt like. I had to wear a certain kind of tennis shoes basically.
then when I started gigging, I had to put on nice looking footwear for obvious reasons. And for a while, I felt like I played a little bit worse with that footwear but as you get more comfortable, everything being just exactly the same seems to kind of dissipate. But good luck all. |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 12 Nov 2022 2:21 pm
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If you’ve accomplished right hand blocking, using finger picks, decent bar intonation, string grips & lever/ pedal combinations you’ve done many of the hard parts re: learning pedal steel. Foot wear is such a minor issue, it pales by comparison.
When I bought my first steel, I had trouble playing in the then mandatory cowboy boots. I made a decision to play only in boots for 30 days. After a couple of weeks, I couldn’t imagine playing in anything else.
Last edited by Tony Glassman on 12 Nov 2022 10:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 12 Nov 2022 3:58 pm
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meh, just play in your socks, no one cares or bothers to look at your footwear when the band is playing... If you would rather not, get a pair of real soft leather moccasins, NOT those fake things with a big rubber sould which defeats the purpose... Mocs are great for steel...
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 12 Nov 2022 5:24 pm
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You might try applying Plasti Dip to the pedals.
~Lee |
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Josh Yenne
From:
Sonoma California
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Posted 12 Nov 2022 5:25 pm
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| Bob Carlucci wrote: |
| meh, just play in your socks, no one cares or bothers to look at your footwear when the band is playing... If you would rather not, get a pair of real soft leather moccasins, NOT those fake things with a big rubber sould which defeats the purpose... Mocs are great for steel... |
Ha thats funny.. I literally could not disagree more...
EVERY person at a show that does not know what that guy at the "funny keyboard" is doing just sitting there is going to come up and look at the only thing they can really see moving other than the bar and that is the feet....
But good call.. there are probably some beautiful moccasins out there!
I also am very much a stickler for an adage I got from a hilarious "MEL BAY: HOW TO BE A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN" book we found in the basement of the music store I've been part of for years.. it was probably from the 50s? but it changed my life with one sentence and it was the section on "GIG ATTIRE" which was just one page basically....
It had this advice about a measuring stick on whether you have done enough to dress up for your gig:
"If you go to the gas station after your gig and you do NOT feel out of place. You have NOT done enough to dress up for your gig"
brilliant.
From that day on I realized that if you are expecting for people to respect and pay to see you then take the presentation seriously... in the end the music is the most important thing.... but when I was young I thought it was "all about the music"
It's not...
It MOSTLY is (IMO) but folks ARE looking at you... for hours often.... dressing with intention is important (at least for me and many others) and more than ANY other instrument in the band the person who's feet are going to be found and looked at is going to be the pedal steel player (unless you have a clogger or tap dancer in your band I guess)
Again, when beginning it IS legit important to find whatever gets you most comfortable.... but if playing steel nude is the way I play the best at home I don't extrapolate that to being okay at a gig. 
It's not clear what the OP is totally saying... but I totally agree with Tony Glassman on this.... when I put on boots (and I found they can't be pointy toed, or stiff alligator, etc... soft leather... square or rounded toe... but if I HAD to play in the pointy boots I could get used to it quick)
Sort of like Tony is saying... and I was saying... at the newbie stage everything HAS to be consistent and the easiest but eventually you can make it all work... you'll get used to it... if looking professional (by my estimation admittedly) is important to you you'll figure it out and get used to it. Good luck (some SICK moccasins is a great idea though! I bet there are some amazing hand made ones out there by some awesome leather artists) |
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Jeffrey Beers
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 13 Nov 2022 7:53 am MUK LUKS slippers
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MUK LUKS rag wool slipper. They have them on Amazon.
They are wool, so you’re feet won’t sweat and then get cold from being wet. They have a nice leather soul with good “feel” and lasts for years. Be advised, they are the epitome of form following function….and aren’t necessarily high fashion.
I’m on my second pair.. Check ‘em out.
_________________
2004 D10 GFI Ultra |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 14 Nov 2022 5:55 am
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| Josh Yenne wrote: |
| Bob Carlucci wrote: |
| meh, just play in your socks, no one cares or bothers to look at your footwear when the band is playing... If you would rather not, get a pair of real soft leather moccasins, NOT those fake things with a big rubber sould which defeats the purpose... Mocs are great for steel... |
Ha thats funny.. I literally could not disagree more...
EVERY person at a show that does not know what that guy at the "funny keyboard" is doing just sitting there is going to come up and look at the only thing they can really see moving other than the bar and that is the feet....
But good call.. there are probably some beautiful moccasins out there!
I played every kind of venue imaginable for 40+ years, most often in socks, often in front of thousands of people... No one cared if you were in socks or in shoes... It simply didn't matter in the least.... bob
I also am very much a stickler for an adage I got from a hilarious "MEL BAY: HOW TO BE A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN" book we found in the basement of the music store I've been part of for years.. it was probably from the 50s? but it changed my life with one sentence and it was the section on "GIG ATTIRE" which was just one page basically....
It had this advice about a measuring stick on whether you have done enough to dress up for your gig:
"If you go to the gas station after your gig and you do NOT feel out of place. You have NOT done enough to dress up for your gig"
brilliant.
From that day on I realized that if you are expecting for people to respect and pay to see you then take the presentation seriously... in the end the music is the most important thing.... but when I was young I thought it was "all about the music"
It's not...
It MOSTLY is (IMO) but folks ARE looking at you... for hours often.... dressing with intention is important (at least for me and many others) and more than ANY other instrument in the band the person who's feet are going to be found and looked at is going to be the pedal steel player (unless you have a clogger or tap dancer in your band I guess)
Again, when beginning it IS legit important to find whatever gets you most comfortable.... but if playing steel nude is the way I play the best at home I don't extrapolate that to being okay at a gig.
It's not clear what the OP is totally saying... but I totally agree with Tony Glassman on this.... when I put on boots (and I found they can't be pointy toed, or stiff alligator, etc... soft leather... square or rounded toe... but if I HAD to play in the pointy boots I could get used to it quick)
Sort of like Tony is saying... and I was saying... at the newbie stage everything HAS to be consistent and the easiest but eventually you can make it all work... you'll get used to it... if looking professional (by my estimation admittedly) is important to you you'll figure it out and get used to it. Good luck (some SICK moccasins is a great idea though! I bet there are some amazing hand made ones out there by some awesome leather artists) |
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 14 Nov 2022 8:30 am
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Not that it matters, but since no one asked: What kind of PSG are you playing?
Picture of the pedals? |
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Bruce Bouton
From:
Nash. Tn USA
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Posted 14 Nov 2022 1:18 pm
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Get some good slip ons that keep your ankle free. Great boots work but you've got to get used to it. I know the artists I've worked for would not allow bare feet on stage.
_________________
www.brucebouton.com |
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