What shoes to wear for pedal harps

[unknown-user]

Hi .. Anyone has an idea of what kinds of heels to wear during practice?

[rosalind-beck]

Irina, character or theatrical shoes make excellent pedal harp footwear.

[Pat Eisenberger]

I had some low-heeled “sling-backs” (like pumps with a strap to tighten at the back), with slighly rounded toes and leather soles

[Elizabeth Kelly]

I wear cowboy boots when I practice and perform. They have just enough of a heel, and the toes are not too pointy, but not too rounded either.

Elizabeth

[Pat Eisenberger]

Hey Elizabeth – this is a great solution! It would also work for the guys. Never thought about them before. (Has a mental picture of a guy with a tux and cowboy boots – *sigh*)

[Kela Walton]

I am also a fan of character shoes for all of Rosalind’s reasons.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

How about the loafers with a substantial heel?

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

The thing I don’t like about character shoes is that there is a strap and you either have to unbuckle it or scrunch your foot into it with the strap hooked. A pain to me. I needed some slip-on shoes so that I would put them on when I practice. It’s so tempting to play with bare feet, and I have to admit that I cheat all the time and do this. I hate playing with my harp shoes, but I’m making myself do it. My teacher told me to get some with a slight heel (like what’s on a character shoe) and with a fairly pointed toe so that you can get around on the pedals without banging into those you don’t want. I have some good shoes. I just need to use them. I think for me, at 6′ tall and with long legs, loafers might actually work better. I think part of the reason I don’t like the harp shoes is that the heel is actually too high for my long legs.

June

[patricia-jaeger]

Irina, Hush Puppies shoe company has a web site. One of their shoe models for ladies is called Angel. It’s a plain pump in several color choices, that has just the right shape toe, flexible sole, and 1 1/2 inch heel. See if it is right for you.

[unknown-user]

I like the basic Ferragamo pump 1 1/

[unknown-user]

Wow! $250.00 a pair. How

[unknown-user]

Hi Susie, I buy mine on sale, and I don’t buy a pair very often. Hmm, I don’t know how many gigs it would take, but it would be a kind of investment for your feet. I don’t wear them very much and they last a very looooong time. I have a difficult foot to fit, and these are a good fit solution for my feet for more formal occassions. I am a fan of Capezio’s black ballet slipper.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

Ballet slippers have no heel and no leverage with that soft sole. A ballerina flat would make more sense, only it would be better to have a 1/2-inch or higher heel on it. Character shoes are sturdy, with a good shank, but not always made as well as they once were, and will not look good for long. I saw a harpist play in stilettos once, and she laid the heel down on the floor, and the sole was flexible enough for her to pedal everything. They also had clear plastic slip-on tops with dice cubes on them, which she bought on 42nd Street. It was pretty funny, but they looked good on stage and didn’t get in her way, unbelievably. It was quite a stunt.

[Sidney Dharmavaram]

I just got character shoes and found I like them for using with harp.

[Kate Hopkins]

I

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