You can pre-tune the strings so that each string when plucked produces a note of a particular chord, such as C6, which is a common choice. Pedal steel and console steel guitars often have two parallel necks to enable a wider range of pitches and tunings.Ĭan chords be played on lap or pedal steel guitars? Pedal steel guitar: These are the same as freestanding console steel guitars, but they also have foot pedals that enable you to modify the tuning arrangement by raising the pitch of individual strings.
Console steel guitar: These are played the same as lap steel guitars but are freestanding.Assuming you’re right-handed, your right hand fingers pluck the strings while your left hand holds a metal or glass tone bar that you slide up and down the strings to vary the pitch of the strings when plucked. Lap Steel guitar: Lap steel guitars are placed on your lap, face up.The sound producing techniques are similar for all types one hand plucks the strings, while the other locates pitches on the fretboard. How are lap steel and pedal steel guitars different? If you’re interested in acquiring a lap or pedal steel guitar, you can find a range of all types on eBay being sold new and second hand. Both acoustic and electric models are available. The Sweet Sounds of Lap and Pedal Steel GuitarsĮvolving from early Hawaiian steel guitars, lap and pedal steel guitars brought a new dimension of sound to guitar music, especially in country music.