Alfred's Teach Yourself to Play Pedal Steel Guitar: Pedal Steel Guitar Book & Online Audio

Stoebenau cuts through the mystique of pedal steel by treating it as a learnable instrument rather than an exotic specialty. The progression from tuning and notation through hand technique to actual music-making mirrors how students learn other guitars, removing unnecessary intimidation while respecting the instrument's unique voice.

Sliding between pitches with vocal expressiveness, bending sustained notes that seem to float in space, controlling tone through foot and knee movements rather than fingers alone. Pedal steel demands a different kind of coordination than traditional guitar, almost like playing a stringed instrument and an organ simultaneously.

Guitar players curious about pedal steel who want structured entry into the instrument, and absolute beginners drawn to the sound of country, Americana, and contemporary pop productions featuring pedal steel. Anyone seeking a self-paced method that doesn't assume previous music reading ability will find a genuine foundation here.

• Record yourself playing the play-along tracks so you can hear your tone choices against the accompaniment; pedal steel responds dramatically to subtle timing shifts, and playback reveals what your ear might miss in the moment.
• Spend entire practice sessions on left-hand pedal and knee lever control without playing notes, training your feet to move independently of your hands the way pianists learn pedal technique.
• Reference the TAB notation when reading standard music notation feels slow, but force yourself to read without it regularly; this builds genuine music literacy instead of TAB dependency.

Offer this to advanced guitarists in your program who want to explore a new sound world without leaving their instrument family behind. A student working through this method can eventually bring pedal steel colors into jazz ensembles, pop bands, or special concert features.

• Tuning pedal steel to standard configurations
• Reading standard notation and tablature simultaneously
• Coordinating independent left-hand, right-hand, foot, and knee lever movements
• Controlling pitch bending and sustain through pedal manipulation
• Basic improvisation and melodic phrasing on the instrument
• Playing along with recorded accompaniment tracks