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Organ shoes

Bach>Meer

New member
Hi all

I've been playing the pedals with my socks on since I began playing the king of instruments.
My question is - would shoes help better my pedalling technique as although I am improving, I'm not improving as quickly as I want!

I watched John Scott Whitley play the pedal solos in the BWV 564 and BWV 540 Toccatas on 21st Century Bach, gliding with ease and when I play the same pedal passage (or attempt it!) I bounce too much from pedal to pedal and the pedals make noises as they are pressed down which can't be good for the instrument - which I don't like doing.

Would shoes improve the situation, what shoes would you recommend and if I don't want to buy a pair of actual "organ shoes", can you recommend any normal shoes which have thin soles and all the correct characteristics etc which can be adapted for organ playing?

Thanks!
 
musicalis

musicalis

Member
Hi !
I have never played with special shoes, but sometime with no shoes.
Did you try to play with no shoes. There is no noise and you can feel very well what your feet are doing.
J-P
 
JONESEY

JONESEY

New member
I just use an old pair of shoes which are really smooth on the soles.
I found it made a difference to have shoes that moved easily across the pedals.
 
jvhldb

jvhldb

New member
I played with socks for about 18 years before I started taking organ lessons. My teacher insted that I play with shoes. I couldn't get any organ shoes in SA, so I bought a pair of thin soled shoes. Unfortuanetly they had a rubber heel, so I had a shoe repair shop glue leather to the bottom of the heels. Now that I'm used to them I will never play bare foot again.

The only drawback is they are so smooth now that I have to watch my footing on the wood floors of the church or I go sliding down the isle like an oversized bowling ball.:lol::lol::lol:
 
Corno Dolce

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Hi CT64,

You mean to tell the forum that you don't wear shoes when you're out and about on town?:lol::lol::lol: Yowzah, dude - those must be some big surfboards you have atached to your ankles.

Cheers,

CD :):):)
 
Muza

Muza

New member
haha, oh this forum is really making my otherwise crappy day today:) unfortunately, at CT64's expense :)
 

Flute'n'Pedal

New member
Hi Bach>Meer,

Why don't you want real organ shoes? I just bought myself a pair a month ago, after one year of organ study. They've helped my pedaling tremendously. They don't cost more than ordinary shoes.

LlL
 
Krummhorn

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
I've used organ shoes since day one playing the organ. I get mine from a company called Organmaster Shoes in the US ... I buy a new pair about every 8 years ($60 USD) but really love them. Can't play pedals worth diddly squat in my sock feet ... :lol:
 

Flute'n'Pedal

New member
Hi Krummhorn:

I also got mine from Organmaster, and I echo every word you say. But do the shoes really last for 8 years? Don't the soles wear out before then?

LlL
 
Corno Dolce

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Hey folks - I had one of my infamous foul-ups today. I was playing for a wedding today and everything was going smoothly and I felt a little cocky. The priest said you may kiss the bride and then the couple turned around to begin recessing out from the sanctuary. After the Recessional was over the couple came over and thanked me. I then said that I was honored to have played for their funeral :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Well, the bride laughed hysterically but the groom gave me a dirty look.
 
Muza

Muza

New member
haha, Corno Dolce, now thats gutsy! and funny - I just told the story to my husband and well, he had a reaction somewhat close to that of the bride's :)!!!
 
Krummhorn

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Flute'n'Pedal said:
Hi Krummhorn:

I also got mine from Organmaster, and I echo every word you say. But do the shoes really last for 8 years? Don't the soles wear out before then?

LlL
Click to expand...

Hi LlL,

Yes, they do last about that long. I never wear them outside, and generally only when playing or the occasional stroll from the console to Sacristy, which is all on carpet. Normally they get worn 2 or 3 times (choir rehearsals, personal practice and Sunday mornings) each week.

I think there was one pair that only lasted 5 years, but that was when I was playing lots of dedicatory recitals for an Allen Organ dealer in Southern California.
 

Flute'n'Pedal

New member
Hi Krummhorn,
Wow! And here I had bought two pair, just to be on the safe side. Maybe they'll last me for the rest of my earthly organist's days, and then some. With that kind of shoe-life expectancy, nobody can complain about the price.

Cheers, LlL
 
Soubasse

Soubasse

New member
I actually still use (occasionally) a pair of dancing shoes because they have a reasonably narrow toe and a nice sized heel. I also started in socks, but the nature of the pedalboard that I regularly practiced on was such that I kept getting uncomfortable bruises on my soles where the toes start to bend. At the time, my old school shoes were quite good and my teacher simply told me not to take tham off and use them for practice.

I used to have a dedicated pair of shoes for playing, but I did get a little tired (read also lazy) of taking my regular shoes off and putting on my playing shoes (especially if I was running up to the gallery 30 seconds before Mass was due to start, knowing it would take at least another 20 seconds to get my shoes on!;)). These days, I have a comfy pair of zip-up boots which, believe it or not, work extremely well. I can walk around in them and play pedals in them.

In case anyone is wondering, yes I have used the dancing shoes for that particular activity for which they were originally designed. My wife and I used to take Ballroom and Latin dancing classes a couple of years back. Some of the steps made for interesting pedal lines (especially the Cha-Cha) and Langlais' Epilogue from Hommage a Frescobaldi suddenly became much easier to play :grin:
 
Contratrombone64

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
Dancing shoes are not uncommon in the pedalling fraternity I see ... my feet are so bloody huge that no dancing shoes would fit 'em to be sure.
 
Corno Dolce

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Hello Muza,

What I find so amusing is that it just plopped out of my mouth - I meant to say wedding but...Ooops - Freudian Faux-Pas! :lol::lol::lol::):):):smirk::smirk::smirk:

Oh well, a day in the life of an independently contracted musician...:p;)

Cheers,

Corno Dolce :):):)
 
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