Playing textural steel heard in rock/alternative music

[Konstantin Gulin]

Hi everyone, I'm an absolute rookie in the steel guitar world with only a few months experience under my belt. I've always loved the sound of lap and pedal steel from "rock/alternative" bands like Yo La Tengo, Mojave 3, Mazzy Star, Songs:Ohia, and others. Where the steel is used to add this beautiful sweeping texture to the songs. The moment that pushed me to finally pull the trigger and purchase a lap steel was going to a Swans show last year and seeing Kristof Hahn produce some really beautiful walls of sound with a lap steel and a heavy dose of effects pedals. It's not the sound I'm after, but it definitely sparked something in me.

Since I've started learning I've got basic technique and some blues licks down, which have been quite fun to practice and I would like to continue learning blues steel, but I'd also really like to learn how to create the sounds from some of my favorite songs.

A great example is "Today Is the Day" by Yo La Tengo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KwKyOkvvUw

I've been able to find guitar tabs for the song that include the guitar slide, but the slide is shown only on one string and trying to play that single string slide on the lap steel doesn't really come close to approximating the sound in the song (at least in my hands).

I guess I don't have a specific question, because at this point I don't know what I don't know, but I would be really grateful for any pointers in how I can progress in playing lap steel in this style.

If it's helpful, here's a few more examples of songs with a similar style of steel playing that I'd love to learn
Love Songs on the Radio - Mojave 3 (steel comes in at 0:13)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5giTce6_8
Andromeda - Weyes Blood (steel comes in at 1:15)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aki1Xn36eJ8

[Mike Neer]

I’m pretty sure that on Today Is The Day he is playing slide guitar in standard tuning.

[Jon Light (deceased)]

The Yo La Tengo interested me the least and I didn't spend much time with it. And it does not really reflect the one tip I was going to make --

Do NOT underestimate the power of simple, strong in-tune notes that add to the blanket of music (and that do not distract by being 'interesting' or 'noodly'-- nothing wrong with that but it is not necessarily a ambience builder).

As odd as this sounds, it is an occasional revelation for me when I have lost my bearings -- how. does. it. SOUND. ?
Not 'what does it make you think?'
Just the pure sonics.

[John Larson]

The moment that pushed me to finally pull the trigger and purchase a lap steel was going to a Swans show last year and seeing Kristof Hahn produce some really beautiful walls of sound with a lap steel and a heavy dose of effects pedals. It's not the sound I'm after, but it definitely sparked something in me.

Kristof Hahn is awesome. I remember watching him just attack his fender lap steel and make sheets of noise while Swans was laying down a groove.

Go check out Chuck Johnson's albums Balsalms, The Cinder Grove, and Procession if you haven't. Ambient soundscapes with the steel prominently featured.

As for textural playing. A big component is creating unique sounds from the instrument that are outside of the standard idiom. Harmonics are you friend for attention drawing ambience. Playing very high up in the instrument's range. Nowadays it's pretty easy to get lost in texture land with any one of the plethora of modulating reverb pedals out there.

[Joseph Lazo]

Hi everyone, I'm an absolute rookie in the steel guitar world with only a few months experience under my belt. I've always loved the sound of lap and pedal steel from "rock/alternative" bands like Yo La Tengo, Mojave 3, Mazzy Star, Songs:Ohia, and others. Where the steel is used to add this beautiful sweeping texture to the songs. The moment that pushed me to finally pull the trigger and purchase a lap steel was going to a Swans show last year and seeing Kristof Hahn produce some really beautiful walls of sound with a lap steel and a heavy dose of effects pedals. It's not the sound I'm after, but it definitely sparked something in me.

Since I've started learning I've got basic technique and some blues licks down, which have been quite fun to practice and I would like to continue learning blues steel, but I'd also really like to learn how to create the sounds from some of my favorite songs.

A great example is "Today Is the Day" by Yo La Tengo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KwKyOkvvUw

I've been able to find guitar tabs for the song that include the guitar slide, but the slide is shown only on one string and trying to play that single string slide on the lap steel doesn't really come close to approximating the sound in the song (at least in my hands).

I guess I don't have a specific question, because at this point I don't know what I don't know, but I would be really grateful for any pointers in how I can progress in playing lap steel in this style.

If it's helpful, here's a few more examples of songs with a similar style of steel playing that I'd love to learn
Love Songs on the Radio - Mojave 3 (steel comes in at 0:13)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5giTce6_8
Andromeda - Weyes Blood (steel comes in at 1:15)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aki1Xn36eJ8

I'm fairly new to lap steel also. What I'm going to tell you may be something you've already picked up on, so apologies if this comes across as talking down to you.

Watch this video and pay close attention to how he angles the slide toward the tip to play single notes while open strings drone. Sometimes the single notes are clean. Sometimes there are drone strings going along with the single notes. If you're not already doing this, I think you'll find it useful in going for the sound you want.

https://youtu.be/AwW41yW7ya4?si=qsKj_wdkjrE8I3mo

[Joseph Lazo]

I’m pretty sure that on Today Is The Day he is playing slide guitar in standard tuning.

And the Mojave 3 song sounds like slide guitar in standard tuning, too. At least the cut I found. (The one he linked I couldn't play, so I looked up a different clip.)

[Konstantin Gulin]

Thanks for the recommendations everyone. Jon you're right I should trust my ears more, just need to keep on messing around until my ears and my head can align on how to make something sound "good" or at least how I want it to.

Go check out Chuck Johnson's albums Balsalms, The Cinder Grove, and Procession if you haven't. Ambient soundscapes with the steel prominently featured.

Wow I really dig what I've heard of Chuck Johnson so far. I have a set of textural pedals I use with my synthesizers (mainly Chase Bliss Mood and Specular Tempus) and his stuff is inspiring me to mess around with the lap steel hooked up to those as well. Just a bit wary about reverb and texture replacing good fundamentals and playing ability early on.

I’m pretty sure that on Today Is The Day he is playing slide guitar in standard tuning.

And the Mojave 3 song sounds like slide guitar in standard tuning, too. At least the cut I found. (The one he linked I couldn't play, so I looked up a different clip.)

I'm glad I'm finding this out after I've started with the lap steel haha, otherwise I might not have found myself in the steel guitar world. A similar sounds should be doable with the laps steel as well though right? Really dug the Thomas Oliver video by the way.

[Fred Treece]

Just a bit wary about reverb and texture replacing good fundamentals and playing ability early on.

It’s great that you have this awareness. Ultimately, eventually, effects cannot replace good fundamental technique and musical knowledge.

[David DeLoach]

I used from pretty simple lap steel on this tune, but liked the outcome.

https://youtu.be/6x_cwBcpKDo?si=JVIza5Z5_G0V8W37

I used a 6 string in Leavitt tuning.