Practicing on a 10 string nonpedal?

Darrell Criswell · From: Maryland, USA

I travel a lot and can't carry a pedal steel. Would a ten string lap steel or practice board be good for practicing e9 pedal steel and how much better would it be. Than an 8 string or even a six string (tuned to e9)? Any thoughts recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I am a beginner.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

My instant reaction is that pedal steel is all about the pedals, so what use would it be?
But you could work on other aspects of technique such as the various ways of blocking, which are crucial.
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Bill McCloskey · Posted 25 Oct 2023 12:47 pm

you may want to consider the Alkire tuning. The chord positions are the same (C is on Frets 8 and 3) and it gives you strings 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 of the open E9th neck and strings 10 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 of the AB pedals down position on the open string.

Alkire tuning from bottom to top is C# E F F# G G# A B C# E

Here is a quick video introduction to the tuning I did a few years back https://youtu.be/TmGexfvJ1gw?si=tqfBz99e1RaNcJB1

Andrew Goulet · Posted 25 Oct 2023 12:51 pm

I think it's a great idea, and definitely better than not practicing at all!

I'm not sure how far you are along in your journey, but (as Ian mentioned) you could practice blocking, grips, open chord positions, intonation, and even slants (not a bad idea to know these even if you play pedal).

I would like to be able to play non-pedal as confidently as I play pedal guitar, so I'm actually looking for a 10 or 12 string lap steel myself for this purpose. Sometimes it would just be easier to bring a lap steel and a ZT Lunchbox....
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Ken Pippus · From: Langford, BC, Canada

Playing nonpedal E9 will show you where to find all the notes, and give you a much better idea of what the pedals are actually doing for you. And it’ll teach you to play slants, which can be handy down the line.

J Fletcher · From: London,Ont,Canada

Sounds like a great idea. I warm up every day , 20 minutes os so , without touching the pedals . You could also tune your E's down to D# and practice the B6 side of the tuning . Lots there . Jerry

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

That D# idea is a good one
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John Hyland · From: South Australia

I think playing a laptop will improve your attack and feel as a bit of bar movement is all you have got the work with. Pedal steel is too easy to rely on the pedal and levers for changes. You may end up with the best of both worlds.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Absolutely ! A practice board/ 10st lap steel is a great way to practice. Picking, intonation , holding the bar and you can even get a better concept of what the pedals are doing when you find the notes without them.

I make a point of practicing without using my pedals and levers at home sometimes just because it helps so much.
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Bill McCloskey · Posted 26 Oct 2023 8:02 am

BTW, if you are looking for a good 10 string lapsteel, I have a number of eharps i would sell.

Andrew Frost · From: Toronto, Ontario

In my humble view, the single most important thing about steel guitar is intonation. Nuanced left hand control that connects with your ear is at the core of the instrument's expressivity whether you're playing pedal or lap steel.

So if you're just starting out, yes, absolutely, practicing on any lap steel will deepen your connection to the essence of it all and you'll be able to play in tune much more naturally on pedal steel.

J D Sauser · From: Wellington, Florida

Yes you should!

In my opinion, too many who came into PSG onto E9th intead of a Swing era tuning (like C6th, A6th or some E13th), have never learned to play STEEL Guitar… “just” mostly Pedal-“Harp”-something. (sorry folks, but that’s what serm to have seen and even read and heard some defend quite energically, on this Forum too).
Some real “steeling” would seem of great benefit to some pedal stomoers and mashers. I should know, I’ve been there.

Now, E9th is an engenius “system” of a tuning and I would agree that in it’s open position, it would make the mist pleasurable to play tuning witout pedals.

Unless you want to explore mostly single note soloing/improvisation, I feel that while Jerry Byrd DID record some tunes on pretty much a “standard” E9th, to proove he could play it without pedals, thay E9th may proove a difficult tuning to play non-pedal on.

One approch may be to tune it with the E’s flattened (B6th) and also with the B’s and G#s raised like with A&B down (A6th) and explore these two “sides” of the tuning which would lend themselves more to non-pedal pure “steeling”.

Then there may be interest into C6th. I might very well be the one nut with the most changes around here on a C6th with 6P & 8K on an S12 C6th. Still all my single-note positions (and “pockets” spun off them) are derived from non-pedal “thinking” and I today feel that C6th PSG may be better explored by studying single-note playing without using the pedals and levers.

Therefore I own 10 and 12 string non-pedal guitars, I can practice on.

But everybody is very individual.

… JD.
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