I really enjoy wearing the puma style racing shoes with the rolled heel for when I'm playing heel down. They're kind of like a minimalist running shoe where they can bend and fold up into a little ball and has a very thin sole so it's very easy to feel the pedal underneath your foot The materials are generally always nice and lightweight
There is a HUGE difference if you are a heal up or down player. There is no doubt that minimalistic/no shoes are better for all the muscles and joints in the foot. Other shoes can help "enhance" the performance, like almost every sport specific shoe type does. It might not be the most ergonomic but a more ridged shoe can help transfer more energy downwards from the bigger muscles. For playing harder/louder stuff I tend to actually use weightlifting shoes that are designed to do just that. To me they still have the right kind of flexion and good wide space for the toes. But with them I play almost only heal up/floating. For jazz/blues (where play heal down) I use minimalistic shoes, and also mostly when I practice to train the muscles.
When I was younger I found driving shoes comfortable, though I don’t think Puma makes my favorites anymore. These days I like to wear soft leather moccasins, or sometimes fluffy wool socks in the winter.
Oddly, 15 years ago, before I ever thought of any biomechanics when drumming, first I played sock foot. Then got me some ballet shoes. Albeit, black ones. Felt a lot more like I can 'feel what I'm doing' than in trainers... I guess I was unto something. Thanks for the useful video, as always.
Jojo Mayer says, put leather soles on your favorite pair and slide away. I don't use pedals with boards that have engravings in them. I used the Vibrams years ago. I rather just be barefoot. They're a waste of time and honestly dangerous. Let's not kid anyone, this is an add.
Neil Peart always recommended dance shoes to play the pedals! If you use the slide technique where you slide your foot forward to achieve the fast doubles and double bass technique this will get you what you need unless you play metal with the ultra fast foot techniques. Doing this dance shoe "floating foot" technique from Neil with the hard sole on the shoe let him achieve a lot of precision vs other shoes where you have a softer surface in between your foot and the pedal. This will also help with the foot pedal technique where you bounce the beater off instead of burying; the tone difference is real.
Bare foot. I've been playing for 45 years and never had problems with getting blisters, not even close. I use the DW 5000 pedal and hi hat, haver for almost 30 years now. I always were slip-on shoes and at a gig, or nasty studio, I slip them off right before I play and back on right after I'm done. If it's a wedding or more formal gig, I wear thin black socks...no one never notices.
Thank you for all the content and guidance. I have used men's ballet shoes for some time because of the 'slide-ability' factor. Does Vibram sell shoes that have a smooth bottom?
I've been wearing Altra zero-drop running shoes. You should be an endorser for Vibram. I just bought a pair of the Trail five fingers. We'll see how it goes!
Brandon, I want to question the assertion that having all of the available articulations of the foot (& leg) is necessarily beneficial for playing the kick drum. I don't even own any boots, & I would agree that this would be an extreme end of the articulation scale. I find that having more moving parts makes playing the bass drum more difficult. The coordination of all those moving parts is extremely difficult & I struggle to control my foot at certain tempos. Admittedly, I'm new to drumming, & I'm having more issues with the big joints, like the hip, knee, & ankle. But the smaller articulations also add a lot of variables. While I'm not condoning boots, I can see why some people think these provide an advantage.
Thanks. You certainly don’t need every degree of every sliding surfaces but my position is rather creating an environment for all of the foots systems to operate as close to “naturally” as possible with resistance or modification from modern footwear’s where applicable
You could certainly be correct, that having all those articulations is a benefit. But I guess I'm thinking that the foot didn't really evolve to play the kick drum. So, I would respectfully suggest that the degrees of freedom developed for locomotion might not be so useful & could actually be a problem for this particular use. Just a thought.
I have no doubt what you are saying is technically correct, and I have certainly have tried minimalist shoes and even playing with just socks or barefoot; I dislike them both. I strangely find it easier to play if I have a slightly more substantial shoe on preferably with a grippy bottom. Again that is contrary to what many people recommend, but I find it much easier to play when my foot isn’t sliding all over the pedal 🤷🏼♂️
SOCKS! for that real feel
I really enjoy wearing the puma style racing shoes with the rolled heel for when I'm playing heel down. They're kind of like a minimalist running shoe where they can bend and fold up into a little ball and has a very thin sole so it's very easy to feel the pedal underneath your foot The materials are generally always nice and lightweight
So informative, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad it was helpful!
There is a HUGE difference if you are a heal up or down player. There is no doubt that minimalistic/no shoes are better for all the muscles and joints in the foot. Other shoes can help "enhance" the performance, like almost every sport specific shoe type does. It might not be the most ergonomic but a more ridged shoe can help transfer more energy downwards from the bigger muscles. For playing harder/louder stuff I tend to actually use weightlifting shoes that are designed to do just that. To me they still have the right kind of flexion and good wide space for the toes. But with them I play almost only heal up/floating. For jazz/blues (where play heal down) I use minimalistic shoes, and also mostly when I practice to train the muscles.
Although I don't wear these 5 finger shoes, I do wear barefoot shoes to play drums and workout in the gym.
When I was younger I found driving shoes comfortable, though I don’t think Puma makes my favorites anymore. These days I like to wear soft leather moccasins, or sometimes fluffy wool socks in the winter.
Oddly, 15 years ago, before I ever thought of any biomechanics when drumming, first I played sock foot. Then got me some ballet shoes. Albeit, black ones. Felt a lot more like I can 'feel what I'm doing' than in trainers... I guess I was unto something. Thanks for the useful video, as always.
i wear vivo's or splays for drumming and every day life! great pedal feel on barefoot/wide toe box shoes
I like the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 series. Great drumming shoes!
Jojo Mayer says, put leather soles on your favorite pair and slide away. I don't use pedals with boards that have engravings in them. I used the Vibrams years ago. I rather just be barefoot. They're a waste of time and honestly dangerous. Let's not kid anyone, this is an add.
Neil Peart always recommended dance shoes to play the pedals! If you use the slide technique where you slide your foot forward to achieve the fast doubles and double bass technique this will get you what you need unless you play metal with the ultra fast foot techniques. Doing this dance shoe "floating foot" technique from Neil with the hard sole on the shoe let him achieve a lot of precision vs other shoes where you have a softer surface in between your foot and the pedal. This will also help with the foot pedal technique where you bounce the beater off instead of burying; the tone difference is real.
Bare foot. I've been playing for 45 years and never had problems with getting blisters, not even close. I use the DW 5000 pedal and hi hat, haver for almost 30 years now. I always were slip-on shoes and at a gig, or nasty studio, I slip them off right before I play and back on right after I'm done. If it's a wedding or more formal gig, I wear thin black socks...no one never notices.
Great to hear! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for all the content and guidance. I have used men's ballet shoes for some time because of the 'slide-ability' factor. Does Vibram sell shoes that have a smooth bottom?
Yes!! Check their website!
I've been wearing Altra zero-drop running shoes. You should be an endorser for Vibram. I just bought a pair of the Trail five fingers. We'll see how it goes!
Love it!!! Zero drop is the way to go!
Brandon, I want to question the assertion that having all of the available articulations of the foot (& leg) is necessarily beneficial for playing the kick drum. I don't even own any boots, & I would agree that this would be an extreme end of the articulation scale. I find that having more moving parts makes playing the bass drum more difficult. The coordination of all those moving parts is extremely difficult & I struggle to control my foot at certain tempos. Admittedly, I'm new to drumming, & I'm having more issues with the big joints, like the hip, knee, & ankle. But the smaller articulations also add a lot of variables. While I'm not condoning boots, I can see why some people think these provide an advantage.
Thanks. You certainly don’t need every degree of every sliding surfaces but my position is rather creating an environment for all of the foots systems to operate as close to “naturally” as possible with resistance or modification from modern footwear’s where applicable
You could certainly be correct, that having all those articulations is a benefit. But I guess I'm thinking that the foot didn't really evolve to play the kick drum. So, I would respectfully suggest that the degrees of freedom developed for locomotion might not be so useful & could actually be a problem for this particular use. Just a thought.
I play in socks with grip tape on the pedals so I don't slip around too much.
Clever !
I have no doubt what you are saying is technically correct, and I have certainly have tried minimalist shoes and even playing with just socks or barefoot; I dislike them both. I strangely find it easier to play if I have a slightly more substantial shoe on preferably with a grippy bottom. Again that is contrary to what many people recommend, but I find it much easier to play when my foot isn’t sliding all over the pedal 🤷🏼♂️