Lap steel guitar

The lap steel guitar is a string instrument played horizontally with a slide, essential to Hawaiian blues and American country music.

About this subject

The lap steel guitar, also known as the Hawaiian steel guitar, is a string instrument played horizontally on the player's lap, with the neck pointing right (for a right-handed musician). Unlike a standard guitar, the left hand does not press the strings against frets; instead, it slides a steel bar (hence the name "steel") along the strings to change pitch. The right hand, often wearing fingerpicks, plucks or strums the strings. This technique produces a wide vibrato and a smooth, crying tone characteristic of Hawaiian and country music.

The instrument originated in the late 19th century in Hawaii, adapted from Portuguese guitars brought by immigrants. Joseph Kekuku is credited as the first to play the guitar horizontally with a metal slide, around 1889. The sound quickly spread to the mainland United States, influencing Delta blues (as in Robert Johnson) and giving rise to variants like the Hawaiian guitar and the pedal steel guitar. In country music, artists such as Jerry Byrd and Don Helms popularized the instrument.

Unlike standard electric guitars, the lap steel has no frets; intonation relies entirely on precise slide placement. It uses open tunings, such as E major or C major, allowing full chords without fingering. The instrument can be acoustic or electric, with early electric models like the 1931 Rickenbacker "Frying Pan" being among the first solid-body electric guitars.

Fun fact: despite the name "steel guitar," the slide need not be steel; it can be glass, porcelain, or metal tubing. The lap steel is often confused with the pedal steel guitar, which has pedals and levers to change string pitch, making it a more complex instrument common in modern country music.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a lap steel guitar and a pedal steel guitar?

A lap steel guitar is played with only a slide and has no pedals or levers. A pedal steel guitar has a mechanism of pedals and levers that change string tuning in real time, allowing for more complex chords and quick key changes.

Is the lap steel guitar difficult to learn?

It can be challenging initially because it requires precise slide placement to get correct notes, as there are no frets. However, open tunings make chord formation easier, and many guitarists find the transition natural.

Which musical genres use the lap steel guitar?

It is traditionally associated with Hawaiian blues, country, bluegrass, and gospel. It also appears in rock, jazz, and experimental music, especially in recordings seeking a nostalgic or melancholic timbre.