Lap steel guitar

The lap steel guitar is a string instrument played horizontally on the lap, using a steel bar to create sliding notes, essential in Hawaiian and country music.

About this subject

The lap steel guitar, also known as the Hawaiian steel guitar or simply steel guitar, is a string instrument played horizontally on the player's lap. Instead of fretting the strings against a neck, the musician uses a smooth steel bar (often made of metal or glass) to slide across the strings, creating glissandi and microtonal pitches that define its distinctive sound. This technique originated in Hawaii in the late 19th century, when Portuguese immigrants brought the machete (a small guitar-like instrument) and local players began using a comb or piece of steel to produce sliding effects. The first documented use is attributed to Joseph Kekuku around 1885.

The lap steel gained international fame during the early 1900s Hawaiian music craze, spreading to the mainland United States through performances at world fairs and vaudeville shows. By the 1920s, it had become a staple in country music, particularly in the "Hawaiian guitar" style popularized by musicians like Sol Hoopii. Unlike the later pedal steel guitar, which uses pedals and knee levers to mechanically change string pitches, the lap steel relies entirely on the player's hand and bar technique. This makes it both more portable and more direct in its expressive possibilities, but also requires considerable skill to achieve clean intonation and smooth slides.

Notable lap steel players include Jerry Byrd, whose technical mastery and tone defined the Hawaiian sound; Buddy Emmons, a virtuoso who influenced generations of country steel players; and David Lindley, who brought the instrument into rock and world music contexts. In Brazil, though less common, artists like Renato Borghetti (gaita) have explored similar slide techniques on the harmonica, while some guitarists like Nelsinho Naves have integrated lap steel elements. The instrument remains popular in Hawaii, Nashville, and among folk and blues revivalists, with modern luthiers continuing to innovate in materials and design, such as using carbon fiber for the body or adding pickups for electric amplification.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a lap steel guitar?

It is a string instrument played horizontally on the lap, with raised strings and the player sliding a steel bar across them to produce notes. Unlike a standard guitar, it has no frets; tuning is typically open, allowing for easy sliding chord formations.

What is the difference between lap steel and pedal steel?

The pedal steel guitar has pedals and knee levers that mechanically change string tension, enabling on-the-fly pitch changes. The lap steel is simpler, lacking these mechanisms, requiring the player to manually adjust the bar for pitch control.

Who are famous lap steel guitar players?

Jerry Byrd, Buddy Emmons, David Lindley, Sol Hoopii, and Mike Auldridge are among the most influential. In Brazil, artists like Luiz Bonfá and Egberto Gismonti have occasionally used slide sounds, but lap steel is less common there.