pedal steel guitar

American  

noun

1. an oblong, floor-mounted electrified guitar, usually having ten strings, fretted with a steel bar and producing a wailing sound that is modulated by use of a foot pedal.

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pedal steel guitar British  

noun

1. a floor-mounted, multineck, lap steel guitar with each set of strings tuned to a different open chord and foot pedals to raise or lower the pitch

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Etymology

Origin of pedal steel guitar

An Americanism dating back to 1965–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pedal steel guitar

It was a stew of steelpans, trombones and pedal steel guitar.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 2, 2023

Instead, “a pedal steel guitar and a harmonica — those things can deliver you into landscape” both interior and exterior, said Sells, whose theater work includes songs for the musical “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.”

From Seattle Times ● May 22, 2023

Crosby sings about a failed spiritual quest — finding “only reflections of a shadow that I saw” — and Jerry Garcia’s pedal steel guitar floats above him as he finds acceptance.

From New York Times ● Jan. 20, 2023

For fun, I take pedal steel guitar lessons, and I’m designing a line of men’s jewelry.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2022

With a lineup that included drums and electric instruments such as pedal steel guitar, it was the first military band devoted to country and bluegrass music.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 31, 2021