Where does the Lap Steel Guitar come from?

Lap Steel Guitar is documented in this archive as a string tradition associated with United States. Open the culture guide from this page for regional context.

How difficult is the Lap Steel Guitar to learn?

Difficulty varies by player and pedagogy. Use the difficulty field in the quick facts panel as a relative guide, then listen to specimen audio and explore related instruments in the same family.

Instrument · traditional

String

Lap Steel Guitar

Name: Lap Steel Guitar
Brand: United States
Availability: OnlineOnly

The lap steel guitar is an American string instrument that's played horizontally on the lap. It produces smooth, sliding tones and is central to Hawaiian and country music.

Catalog

Sample

Overview

The lap steel guitar is an American string instrument that's played horizontally on the lap. It produces smooth, sliding tones and is central to Hawaiian and country music.

Cultural context

Central to Hawaiian and American country music, representing the fusion of cultures

Legendary players

Jerry Byrd—
Buddy Emmons—
Lloyd Green—

Specimen note

The lap steel guitar is played horizontally on the lap with a steel bar.

Technical specifications

Exhibit datasheet · derived from catalog fields

Materials & construction hints: See specimen tags and description for construction lineage
Tuning & pitch: Pitch material is tradition-specific; see description for scale and temperament context.
Register & role: String · typical use: Hawaiian, Country, American Folk
Acoustic range (general): Harmonic content follows string length, tension, and resonator; partials differ by construction.
Market class (indicative): $200-1500

Historical context

Central to Hawaiian and American country music, representing the fusion of cultures The lap steel guitar is an American string instrument that's played horizontally on the lap.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Lap Steel Guitar?: The lap steel guitar is an American string instrument that's played horizontally on the lap. It produces smooth, sliding tones and is central to Hawaiian and country music.
Where does the Lap Steel Guitar come from?: Lap Steel Guitar is documented in this archive as a string tradition associated with United States. Open the culture guide from this page for regional context.
How difficult is the Lap Steel Guitar to learn?: Difficulty varies by player and pedagogy. Use the difficulty field in the quick facts panel as a relative guide, then listen to specimen audio and explore related instruments in the same family.

Discovery web

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