Guitars
Pedal Steel Guitar
The pedal steel guitar is a console-style electric instrument played seated, where a sliding steel bar in one hand works alongside foot pedals and knee levers that bend the pitch of chosen strings on the fly. Coordinating slide, pedals, and levers at once is widely regarded as one of the more demanding skill sets among string instruments.
| Family | Guitars |
|---|---|
| Region / context | United States |
| Playing method | Played seated with a sliding steel bar, combined with foot pedals and knee levers that bend selected strings' pitch |
| Number of strings | Commonly 10 strings on a single-neck setup (double-neck models also exist) |
| Common tuning | Several standardized steel-guitar tunings are used, such as E9 on the higher neck and C6 on a second, lower neck in double-neck setups |
| String material | Steel |
| Construction | Console-style body on metal legs, with electric pickups; the shape bears no resemblance to a standard guitar body |
| Size range | Large console format, considerably bigger than any other guitar-family instrument in this library |
| Portability | Low — Large, heavy, and typically transported in a dedicated case or cart; among the least portable instruments here. |
| Acoustic volume | Silent unamplified — Entirely electric; produces no meaningful sound without an amplifier. |
| Musical contexts | A defining voice in American country and Western swing, with occasional use in rock and ambient or experimental music. |
| Beginner learning curve | Demanding — Coordinating the slide, foot pedals, and knee levers simultaneously makes this one of the more demanding instruments to learn in this library. |
| Maintenance | Mechanical upkeep of the pedal and lever system in addition to standard string and electronics care. |
| Amplification | Requires an amplifier; this is a defining feature of the instrument rather than an option. |
| Practice environments | Can be practiced quietly through headphones via an amp or interface, though its size requires a dedicated space. |
Origin and Background
The pedal steel guitar developed from the lap steel guitar through the mid-20th century with the addition of foot pedals and knee levers that bend the pitch of selected strings during play, and it became closely associated with American country music from the 1950s onward.
Sources
- Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History
- Grove Music Online
Content last checked against our reference sources on October 14, 2026. See our sources and methodology page for how we research instrument profiles.