Lap steel guitars stand apart in the guitar family, offering a distinctive playing style and sound. Unlike standard guitars held upright, lap steels are designed to be played horizontally, resting on the player’s lap, a stand, or even with a specialized guitar strap for a different angle.
The magic of lap steel guitars lies in how notes are produced. Instead of pressing strings against frets, players use a smooth, solid object called a slide or tone bar, typically made of metal, to glide across the strings and create notes with light pressure.
The Tone Bar Technique: Key to Lap Steel Sound
While standard slide guitar players might use glass, ceramic, steel, or brass slides, lap steel enthusiasts often favor metal slides. This preference stems from the higher string action on lap steels, which allows for the use of heavier metal slides. The weight of the metal bar contributes to a richer tone and longer sustain, characteristics highly prized in lap steel music. These tone bars, often crafted from machined steel with a chrome coating, are the reason behind the term “steel guitar” frequently associated with lap steel instruments.
Like other forms of slide guitar playing, standard guitar tuning is rarely used on lap steels. Most players prefer open tunings, which create a resonant and harmonically rich sound that is particularly well-suited to the instrument’s unique voice.
Lap Steel vs. Pedal Steel: Understanding the Difference
It’s important to distinguish lap steel guitars from their close relative, pedal steel guitars. Pedal steel guitars are more complex instruments, typically played while seated. Pedal steel players use foot pedals and knee levers to alter the pitch of strings, creating intricate and dynamic musical textures. The right foot usually controls a volume pedal, while the left foot operates foot pedals that change the tuning of the strings. Knee levers, activated by subtle knee movements, further expand the tonal possibilities.
In contrast to fretted guitars, both lap steel and pedal steel guitars rely on a tone bar to change pitch by sliding along the strings. However, pedal steel guitars introduce mechanical elements to create more complex and rapid pitch changes beyond the slide itself. Mastering the pedal steel guitar is a significant undertaking, given its intricate mechanics and the specialized techniques required to unlock its signature sounds.
Lap steel guitars, while sharing the tone bar technique, offer a more accessible entry point into the world of steel guitar playing. Their straightforward design and focus on slide technique make them a rewarding instrument for players seeking a unique sonic landscape.
