Shoes, socks or barefoot?

[felonious69]

While I am NOT a drummer, I have found that I like to wear water shoes "drumming", (the kind you'd wear to the pool or water park). They are lightweight, "breath-y" and have very thin soles that don't slip.

BUT...If I go for a guitar or bass, I HATE having those thin soles...not for pedals like a wah...that's fine, but for the hard push-buttons.

 

[felonious69]

I’m in the same club . Years back I used to be 50/50 shoes or socks depending on where I was . Since starting back up 7 years ago I realized I can only play with socks or barefoot.
So for anything but a formal gig is white socks or barefoot depending on what footwear I’ve got on.
Formal type gigs it’s black socks and nobody notices anything , and if they did , nothings ever been said .
Playing in any footwear throws off my time, speed and feel. I’m 100% sure it has to do with back injuries and the condition of my back or more pointedly the nerve damage I have in my legs due to the injuries.
It’s like I can’t feel what the footboard is doing and everything feels clumsy , sluggish and awkward with any type of footwear on .
If the need should arise and for appearances shoes had to be worn , I guess I’m gonna have to go this route………


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Do they sell any of these in steel toe? I am required at work to have steel toe shoes...they never said nuthin about soles!

 

[Al Strange]

While I am NOT a drummer

I thought we’d had this conversation @felonious69 ?

 

[C. Dave Run]

I hear they are comfortable.

Extremely. I had some I kept in the office when I was a CAD operator. I'd work without my shoes on. If I had to leave my desk, I'd just slip on the Crocs. I got the idea from a coworker.

 

[The Shepherd]

Its a crime in my mind to reveal any man toe while onstage. Freaks me out. I feel the same about shorts onstage too.

I can't do flip flops. I always trip when the front of the flip flop catches the ground. I may not fall, but I do trip. And my feet are so butt ugly, I want to spare the rest of the world.

Unpopular opinion: I think Crocs are the most ugly shoe I ever saw. I hear they are comfortable. But I just can't bring myself to try them on.

Because they are so butt ugly. A pure petroleum shoe doesn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Crocs are butt ugly but comfortable. I'm at that point of my life that I'll go grocery shopping in crocs, unshowered, while wearing sweatpants and a coffee stained t-shirt.

I'm long past my days where I considered myself an undiscovered GQ model.

 

[BruceW]

I've read these threads over the years, and couldn't fathom drumming barefoot. I always have sneakers of some sort on.

A couple years ago I was wearing a costume for a Halloween party we were playing. And I had sandals on. Which I didn't think about before the gig. They didn't feel very comfortable playing in. So I tried taking them off and playing barefoot. I was pleasantly surprised.

I still wear sneakers while playing, but it not out of the realm of thought that might try barefoot again, especially when we get out of winter here

 

[1 hit wonder]

Crocs are butt ugly but comfortable. I'm at that point of my life that I'll go grocery shopping in crocs, unshowered, while wearing sweatpants and a coffee stained t-shirt.

I'm long past my days where I considered myself an undiscovered GQ model.

Lol, I'm not and I revel in my relative cleanliness on the rare occasion that I venture into a Walmart wherein I spy women shopping in sloppy pajama pants with unkempt hair. It makes me sad for our culture but at least I'm trying to do my part.

I haven't brushed my teeth yet, because I'm not going out for a while. Prob should go do that, lol.

I don't like playing in my New Balance court shoes; thick soles.

 

[timmdrum]

I feel the same about shorts onstage too.

For me, only at summer daytime outdoor shows.

I can't do flip flops. I always trip when the front of the flip flop catches the ground. I may not fall, but I do trip.

You'd trip when the front of any type shoe catches the ground, eh? Do the front of your flops catch the ground more than other shoes? Why? Mine don't.

 

[Sera]

Winter - socks. Summer - barefoot

 

[doggyd69b]

I would play in bare feet but as my wife says, once seen you can't unsee, and besides I find playing socks mean my feet slide better on the pedals. But I find playing in shoes clumsy and I lose feel. It seems most drummers play in shoes of some kind but I don't know how!
Interested to know your preference and why, and if with shoes do you have a preference? I do have an image of the glam rock drummers in the 70s playing in platforms (maybe on top of the pops you could do it!). Does the kiss drummer play in boots with claws on the soles?!

I can (and have played) barefoot before, not my preference, after many years I found that some support protects my right foot from injuries as I used to bury the beater and at some point the ball of my foot started to hurt. here is Meytal making playing barefoot look ok:

 

[doggyd69b]

I saw Sheila E kill a drum solo in stilettos. It ain’t the shoes or lack thereof.

One of the death metal drummers (Kevin Paradis) posted a video of him playing a hard double bass part in all kinds of shoes (even high heels) to prove that shoes didn't matter. (I think he just wanted an excuse to wear the heels)....

 

[doggyd69b]

I quit doing barefoot because the board is cold in the basement, lol. And I'm not taking shoes off in a nasty bar.

Second that. I don't even walk barefoot around my house. always wear some "Chanclas"

 

[doggyd69b]

Okay, I dont do that, so I completely understand. I wouldnt want to put my bare feet on someone elses pedals either.


That's so gross.

"You don't go commando on another man's fatigues" Joey from the show Friends....

 

[Jeremy Crockett]

...here is Meytal making playing barefoot look ok:

To be fair those are girl feet and... well... I probably shouldn't say much more... at this point...

 

[doggyd69b]

To be fair those are girl feet and... well... I probably shouldn't say much more... at this point...

All fetishes aside (I don't have a foot fetish by the way) she does demonstrate pretty impressive foot work on that video (as in she couldn't fake that level of playing even in multiple takes). It also helps that she is good looking.

 

[Larry]

For me, only at summer daytime outdoor shows.


You'd trip when the front of any type shoe catches the ground, eh? Do the front of your flops catch the ground more than other shoes? Why? Mine don't.

I can't/don't wear flip flops. FF...the toe part rolls underneath, I scrape my toes and curse. Sometimes I fall.

My feet are horrible looking and I don't want to gross out anyone, so I keep them hidden.

 

[SDdrummer1]

Chuck Taylors or else I prob won't play

 

[someguy01]

Yes.
Slides and boots as well.
It doesn't matter to me what's on my feet.

 

[EssKayKay]

Always shoes.

 

[Moejo]

I get a lot of power out of my steel toe Redwings. My feet feel lighter in my Pumas. Not a fan of barefoot. Socks just wear out and tear. My Docs are little slippery feeling. The DCs feels nice on the pedals, but not the most comfy shoes. I tend to play in whatever is on my feet when I get to the kit.