--- url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-in/faq/workshops-learning/can-i-play-hindustani-ragas-on-a-lap-steel-or-resonator-guitar' title: 'Can I play Hindustani ragas on a lap steel or resonator guitar?' author: name: rajeevk url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-in/user/fce96177fd193d3a' date: '2026-10-28T01:10:00+00:00' type: website summary: 'You can play Hindustani ragas on a lap steel or resonator guitar: Indian slide guitar grew from the Hawaiian guitar, a lap steel instrument.' tags: - 'Workshops & learning' image: 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' published: true og: site_name: KalaSudha 'image:url': 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' 'image:secure_url': 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' 'image:type': image/svg+xml 'image:alt': KalaSudha --- FAQ ยท Workshops & learning # Can I play Hindustani ragas on a lap steel or resonator guitar? Updated 28 October 2026 You can play Hindustani ragas on a lap steel or resonator guitar. [Indian slide guitar](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical/indian-slide-guitar) grew from the Hawaiian guitar, a lap steel instrument, and KalaSudha sells adapted lap steel and resonator guitars for Indian slide technique. Brij Bhushan Kabra raised his strings with a high nut so the bar clears the frets, and an **open tuning** gives a stable chord on the open strings, which suits raga. The ethnomusicologist Andre-Jacques Elias notes that the Hawaiian guitar had no chikari, high drone strings, so it could not play jhala, the fast closing section. Concert instruments add them: ask us about [our Indian slide guitars](/en-in/instrument/indian-slide-guitar). Was this answer helpful? [ ](/en-in/user/login?flag_anon=faq_helpful-1352&destination=/en-in/faq/workshops-learning/can-i-play-hindustani-ragas-on-a-lap-steel-or-resonator-guitar) [ ](/en-in/user/login?flag_anon=faq_not_helpful-1352&destination=/en-in/faq/workshops-learning/can-i-play-hindustani-ragas-on-a-lap-steel-or-resonator-guitar) Thanks for your feedback! ## Related pages 1 page mentions this question ### Discipline (1) - [ Indian Slide Guitar Indian slide guitar is Hindustani classical music on a guitar laid across the lap. A slide bar sets the pitch and glides note into note as finger picks pluck. ](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical/indian-slide-guitar) [ Previous question Can an adult beginner learn sitar online? ](/en-in/faq/workshops-learning/can-an-adult-beginner-learn-sitar-online) [ Next question Can my child attend an Indian classical music camp in India with the teacher they learn from online? ](/en-in/faq/workshops-learning/can-my-child-attend-an-indian-classical-music-camp-in-india-with-the-teacher)