I know this question must get very tiresome to the forum.
My teacher is pounding on me to get organ shoes. I've never had on anything but socks when I play. (Well, I do wear pants and a shirt, but you know what I mean.)
But, he insists I'll never be a competent organist until I learn to play in organ shoes. Okay, I'll take his word for it. I'm sure going to miss the feel of the rounded edges of the pedals pressing into my feet when I play. Makes for such a personal connection to the instrument. (Okay, now that's just getting weird.)
He told me that if I didn't want to spend the money on organ shoes, I should just buy some dress shoes for a couple of bucks at the thrift shop and then have a cobbler put a tall heel on. I got as far as buying the $2 dress shoes at Goodwill, but realized two things. The little lip that sticks out along the edge of the sole makes for a wider footprint than bare feet, so I tend to hit neighboring pedals inadvertently more often.
Also, and more importantly, I'm still at a point where all my organ playing is just at home. I sit around most of the time in sweat pants or boxers when I play. (Okay, dude, seriously. *Way* too much information.)
Point being, I just a serious hobbyist ... not a pro. Me wearing dress shoes at home every day feels ridiculous, even when I'm alone. Not to mention how goofy I look to my poor wife who has to come in and see me sitting there in boxers, a comfortable old threadbare t-shirt, and shiny black dress shoes!
I also hop on and off the instrument every half hour or so to walk through a tiled house, so each time it's off with the shoes and then back on with the shoes and off with the shoes and back on with the shoes.
Someone else on a forum (it might have been a different general organ forum) asked why there are no such thing as organ *slippers*. I thought that to be a GREAT question, but the conversation never went anywhere.
Under a hundred bucks or so, money is no object. I'm googling around for some kind of loafer - something with no laces to fuss with, something that slips off and on without having to reach down to the shoe. (And to the thought of "someday you'll need presentable shoes for church and such" - I'm willing to buy formal looking lace-up organ shoes a second time when that time comes.)
But I don't know what makes an organ shoe, other than a tall heel and soft sole. That describes a lot of dance shoes ... but I don't know if this or that particular dance shoe would also make a fine organ shoe. I know there are many shoes that are considered ideal by organists, but they inevitably always have laces.
Case in point ... this shoe shown below. It's a dance loafer. No laces. Looks like it slides on and off easily. And it doesn't have that lip around the base of the shoe that widens the footprint. If a guy had the heel heightened a bit, is this just as good as an organ shoe? I don't know what a "split sole" is and if that's what an organist wants. I also don't know anything about how flexible an organ shoe needs to be in the arch. I also don't really know if that wrap around construction of the sides (ie, no protruding lip on the side of the sole) actually does or doesn't help an organist.
I'll tell you ... if this had the high heel ready to go ... and if it was advertised as an organ shoe ... I would buy it right now.
Two different dance shoes, same maker ... although I can't see any difference in function.
http://www.capezio.com/split-sole-jazz-ankle-boot
http://www.danzia.com/capezio-adult-slip-on-stretch-jazz-ankle-boot/p871153?cse=gp&cid=895&sid=606&gclid=CJKTp4Ozq9ACFUo9gQodB2kLmQ
http://www.liberts.com/catalog/products/CG05C.jpg
http://www.liberts.com/images/Capezio-Childrens-Slip-On-Jazz-Ankle-Boot-CG05C.jpg
My teacher is pounding on me to get organ shoes. I've never had on anything but socks when I play. (Well, I do wear pants and a shirt, but you know what I mean.)
But, he insists I'll never be a competent organist until I learn to play in organ shoes. Okay, I'll take his word for it. I'm sure going to miss the feel of the rounded edges of the pedals pressing into my feet when I play. Makes for such a personal connection to the instrument. (Okay, now that's just getting weird.)
He told me that if I didn't want to spend the money on organ shoes, I should just buy some dress shoes for a couple of bucks at the thrift shop and then have a cobbler put a tall heel on. I got as far as buying the $2 dress shoes at Goodwill, but realized two things. The little lip that sticks out along the edge of the sole makes for a wider footprint than bare feet, so I tend to hit neighboring pedals inadvertently more often.
Also, and more importantly, I'm still at a point where all my organ playing is just at home. I sit around most of the time in sweat pants or boxers when I play. (Okay, dude, seriously. *Way* too much information.)
Point being, I just a serious hobbyist ... not a pro. Me wearing dress shoes at home every day feels ridiculous, even when I'm alone. Not to mention how goofy I look to my poor wife who has to come in and see me sitting there in boxers, a comfortable old threadbare t-shirt, and shiny black dress shoes!
I also hop on and off the instrument every half hour or so to walk through a tiled house, so each time it's off with the shoes and then back on with the shoes and off with the shoes and back on with the shoes.
Someone else on a forum (it might have been a different general organ forum) asked why there are no such thing as organ *slippers*. I thought that to be a GREAT question, but the conversation never went anywhere.
Under a hundred bucks or so, money is no object. I'm googling around for some kind of loafer - something with no laces to fuss with, something that slips off and on without having to reach down to the shoe. (And to the thought of "someday you'll need presentable shoes for church and such" - I'm willing to buy formal looking lace-up organ shoes a second time when that time comes.)
But I don't know what makes an organ shoe, other than a tall heel and soft sole. That describes a lot of dance shoes ... but I don't know if this or that particular dance shoe would also make a fine organ shoe. I know there are many shoes that are considered ideal by organists, but they inevitably always have laces.
Case in point ... this shoe shown below. It's a dance loafer. No laces. Looks like it slides on and off easily. And it doesn't have that lip around the base of the shoe that widens the footprint. If a guy had the heel heightened a bit, is this just as good as an organ shoe? I don't know what a "split sole" is and if that's what an organist wants. I also don't know anything about how flexible an organ shoe needs to be in the arch. I also don't really know if that wrap around construction of the sides (ie, no protruding lip on the side of the sole) actually does or doesn't help an organist.
I'll tell you ... if this had the high heel ready to go ... and if it was advertised as an organ shoe ... I would buy it right now.
Two different dance shoes, same maker ... although I can't see any difference in function.
http://www.capezio.com/split-sole-jazz-ankle-boot
http://www.danzia.com/capezio-adult-slip-on-stretch-jazz-ankle-boot/p871153?cse=gp&cid=895&sid=606&gclid=CJKTp4Ozq9ACFUo9gQodB2kLmQ
http://www.liberts.com/catalog/products/CG05C.jpg
http://www.liberts.com/images/Capezio-Childrens-Slip-On-Jazz-Ankle-Boot-CG05C.jpg