The Steel Guitar Forum

How to play along with basic chords on Lap Steel

I'm fairly new to playing lap steel (as well as the pedal steel) and I am currently busy learning through lesson books and videos which give a lot of information on how to play melodies and to learn licks. However, I have not been able to find anything about how to just simply play along with somebody using basic chords.

My wife plays piano very well but up until now has never played along side of another instrument and at this point we both practice playing separately. But often I would like to just chord along with her both to develop my timing, learn to hear and implement chord changes and become familiar with the songs she is playing.

Although I don't play regular guitar I know that people who do often play along with others just strum the chords or play a note and strum a portion of the chord along to the next chord change.

So my question is, how would you do a similar "play along" on a lap steel. I would also be curious how to do so on the pedal steel as well.

What tuning are you using?

For PSG, I found Jeff Newman's Up From the Top series very valuable for how to play along with basic chords as well as add fills.

Paul Sutherland wrote:What tuning are you using?

Also, what kind of music?

One easy way to do it is to play chords on the upbeat... or you can think 'horn section'. Mostly you don't play (or play quietly) when the singer's singing.

The technical term is 'comping', for 'accompaniment'... you want to know how to comp. Different styles do it differently... listen to music you like and copy what's going on. Some folks feel the steel guitar is not an accompanying instrument... but I've seen it done well. Swells, chimes, muted arpeggio picking... some of the things in your arsenal.

Thanks for inquiring.

I have E9 on my Pedal but for the most part I'm only working with my lap steel, 8 string in C6.

I would say mostly country although I am working my way through both of Doug Beaumier's books for C6.

Thanks Chris

I was working with Jeff's "from The Top Up" and agree that it does provide considerable insight for playing with a singer. Unfortunately I had to take a year off due to health issues. Just before that I had purchased the Lap so when I was able to get back to playing in January I though concentrating on C6 for awhile might give me a better understanding of the fret board, scales and chords without including foot pedals and knee levers. I think that it has certainly helped as I've made a lot more progress in the last few months and now able to starting relating what I'm doing to both instruments.

At my current level I think playing along with the piano is a little easier on the lap steel but will be trying on the pedal as well.

I've only recently been making an effort to get a handle on lap steel; so take my comments with a grain of salt.

You have two more strings than me, and I'm not sure how you are tuning them. So you'll have to adapt my comments to fit your steel. Basically ignore those extra strings for now.

With a six string C6th lap steel you have, from low to high, C, E, G, A, C, and E. That's what I'm referring to below.

In any given key you can go from a 1 chord to a 4 chord without moving the bar, just by changing what strings you play.

For example; in the key of D, with the bar at the second fret, play strings 4 and 2 (or 2 & 1) for the D chord. It's only a partial chord, not a full triad, but that's ok. With strings 4 & 2 it's the fifth and the tonic. With strings 2 & 1 it's the tonic and the third.

Then when the song moves to the 4 chord, play strings 3 & 2. That gives you a G chord without the tonic. Again, it's only a partial chord; it's the third and the fifth; no tonic at all.

To play the 5 chord, play strings 3 & 2 at the fourth fret. Just move it up two frets. That's an A chord, or at least part of one.

You can experiment with adding lower strings. On the one chord either string 6 or 5 sound good. On the four and five chords only string 6 fits.

The second string is sort of a pivot, and you either play the fourth string or the third string. Which string you choose to play will determine what chord you are making.

When playing the four or five chord in this manner you must avoid strings 5, 4, and 1.

Basically at the point in a song when you would step on the A & B floor pedals (E9 psg), instead you just
adjust your right hand grip; and you've made the same musical change, or at least part of it.

Give this a try and let me know if it makes any sense. If it does, there is more to be discussed. Good luck.

Chris and Stephen

I should add that Jeff's method is defiantly a model of were I want to go, in fact both my wife and I have the goal of being able to comp with other musicians as we have few friends that jam together on occasion but we are defiantly not there yet. We hope to be able to play together and than branch out from there.

We are both country dancers and I have taught couples country dancing here in Victoria for many years and although Beverly play various kinds of music we always come back to country.

I have gleaned from a number of sources that the steel guitar is not a accompaniment instrument but I'm convinced that one can't be playing melody and licks all the time and that the seasoned player I see in the background are doing something to comp along with other players.

My wife, Beverly, takes most of her songs from "Those Good Ol' Country Songs" and at her level of playing is able to add a considerable amount to the basic music provided in the song book.

A good example would be "Faded Love" in the key of C. Chords are C, C7, F, C, G7 and repeat with a Eb dim added in about half way through the song.

What I have been doing up to this point is trying to select the triad within that chord that sounds best with the chord she is playing on the piano and changing chords as she does. I've tried playing the three triad notes together as well as each string separately. So far its been a bit of a hit and miss on selecting the right sound.

I read Paul's post this morning (thanks Paul) so I will experiment with what he is suggesting and see if it helps.

It's only a matter of time, I hope

Wow, thanks Paul, I didn't realize the info you provided.

Paul's post is a detailed description of one of the first a-ha! discoveries I ever had on the lap steel. Once I figured that out, I realized I could play along (perhaps not very interestingly, but at least in tune) with about 95% of the country songs out there.

I also agree on the upbeat suggestion. Whenever I'm out of ideas...or if I'm trying to cop a simple honky tonk piano riff, I do little staccatto "plinks" on two strings at a time on the upbeat. Sometimes it can get a little too reggae-sounding though...

I found this very helpful and easy to understand:
http://www.planetgaa.com/C6/index.html