Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of guitar designed to be played flat on the lap, typically using a steel bar (called a "steel") to press against the strings instead of the fingers, producing a distinctive gliding or sliding sound known as a glissando. The strings are often made of steel and are commonly plucked or strummed while the bar changes the pitch.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The musician skillfully played a melancholic melody on the Hawaiian guitar.
  • The smooth, weeping sound of the Hawaiian guitar is a signature of classic country and Hawaiian music.
  • He placed the Hawaiian guitar across his knees and picked up the steel bar.

Advanced Usage

• The term "Hawaiian guitar" is often used interchangeably with "lap steel guitar", though technically, the lap steel is a broader category that includes the Hawaiian guitar. The playing style and sound are strongly associated with Hawaiian music, which popularized the instrument.
• It is distinct from a standard Spanish guitar, as it is not held against the body and uses a solid steel bar to fret the notes, allowing for the characteristic smooth portamento between pitches.

Variants and Related Words

• Lap steel guitar (n): A more general term for a guitar played horizontally on the lap with a steel bar.
• Steel guitar (n): A common synonym, especially in country music contexts. This term can also refer to pedal steel guitars.
• Slide guitar (n): A related technique often used on a standard guitar, where a slide (a tube) is used on the strings, producing a similar glissando effect. The Hawaiian guitar is a specific instrument designed for this technique.

Synonyms

• Lap steel guitar
• Steel guitar

Related Phrases & Terminology

• Steel (n): The solid metal bar used to press the strings on a Hawaiian guitar.
• Glissando (n): A musical effect of gliding continuously from one pitch to another, the hallmark sound of the Hawaiian guitar.
• Slack-key guitar (n): A different style of Hawaiian guitar playing that involves tuning the strings to a chord ("slacking" them) and playing with the fingers, not a steel bar. It is a related but distinct tradition.

Noun

1. guitar whose steel strings are twanged while being pressed with a movable steel bar for a glissando effect