Pedal Steel Atlas

E9 pedal steel chord

G7♯5 on pedal steel

G 7 sharp 5 (G7#5) · 387 voicings on standard E9

Easiest G7♯5 on E9 pedal steel: bar on fret 2, press A + B pedals + E→F lever, pick strings 2, 3, 4 & 5 (F–B–G–D♯).

  • G, root
  • B, 3rd
  • D♯, sharp 5th
  • F, flat 7th

Where you’ll hear it: An augmented dominant that pushes hard toward the next chord — jazz and swing.

These grips also spell G7♭13 — same notes, different name.

Start here: 3 grips to learn first

Every move is described by what it does to the strings, so these work on any E9 guitar. If your levers are wired differently, use the one that makes the same change.

Fret 2 · A + B pedals + E→F lever

Knee lever
  1. Bar on fret 2 (or 14)
  2. Press the A pedal (B→C♯)
  3. Press the B pedal (G♯→A)
  4. Push the E→F lever — left knee, pushing left (LKL) on most guitars
  5. Pick strings 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 — F B G D♯
Tab:
string 2fret 2
string 3fret 2B
string 4fret 2E→F
string 5fret 2A

Fret 6 · B pedal + E→F lever + D lever (past the stop)

Knee lever
  1. Bar on fret 6 (or 18)
  2. Press the B pedal (G♯→A)
  3. Push the E→F lever — left knee, pushing left (LKL) on most guitars
  4. Push the D lever (past the stop) (D♯→C♯ + D→C♯) — right knee, pushing right (RKR) on most guitars
  5. Pick strings 5 · 6 · 8 · 9 — F D♯ B G
Tab:
string 5fret 6
string 6fret 6B
string 8fret 6E→F
string 9fret 6D→C♯

Fret 14 · A + B pedals + E→F lever

Knee lever
  1. Bar on fret 14 (or 2)
  2. Press the A pedal (B→C♯)
  3. Press the B pedal (G♯→A)
  4. Push the E→F lever — left knee, pushing left (LKL) on most guitars
  5. Pick strings 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 — F B G D♯ B
Tab:
string 2fret 14
string 3fret 14B
string 4fret 14E→F
string 5fret 14A
string 6fret 14B

More grips up the neck

Low neck · frets 0–7

Fret 6 · B + C pedals + E→F lever

  1. Bar on fret 6 (or 18)
  2. Press the B pedal (G♯→A)
  3. Press the C pedal (E→F♯ + B→C♯)
  4. Push the E→F lever — left knee, pushing left (LKL) on most guitars
  5. Pick strings 5 · 6 · 8 · 10 — G D♯ B F

Is your guitar set up differently?

Players wire their knee levers in different places, so this page names every change by what it does. Find the pedal or lever on your guitar that makes the same change — the name on yours doesn’t matter.

ChangeWhat it does · usually found
A pedalB→C♯Raises your B strings (5 & 10) a whole step to C♯.Usually: the A pedal on almost every E9 guitar
B pedalG♯→ARaises your G♯ strings (3 & 6) a half step to A.Usually: the B pedal on almost every E9 guitar
C pedalE→F♯ + B→C♯Raises string 4 (E) to F♯ and string 5 (B) to C♯ — a whole step each.Usually: the C pedal on almost every E9 guitar
E→F leverE→FRaises your E strings (4 & 8) a half step to F.Usually: left knee, pushing left (LKL) on most guitars
D lever (past the stop)D♯→C♯ + D→C♯The same lever pushed past its half-stop: takes string 2 (D♯) on down to C♯ and brings in string 9 (D), a half step down to C♯.Usually: right knee, pushing right (RKR) on most guitarsA few student and older guitars stop at D, with no C♯ position.

Pick your setup in Pedal Steel Atlas (it's free) — one of the built-in copedents, or your own exact one — and it re-voices every chord for your pedals and levers — open G7♯5 in the app → or compare common setups.

How to read the diagrams

  • Diamond = the root (the note the chord is named after). Other notes are colored by their job in the chord, like the chips above.
  • Blue string = a pedal or lever changes it. The label on the left shows the new note (E→F).
  • Dashed line = the bar. Lay the steel directly over that fret, not between frets.
  • Colored pedal or lever = press it. String 1 is the one farthest from you; string 10 is nearest.

Keep exploring

Pedal Steel Atlas

Every G7♯5 voicing — on your guitar

  • Your setup. Pick a built-in copedent — or build your exact one, free — and every chord re-voices for your guitar.
  • Real steel tone. Hear every grip and the pedal moves between them.
  • Find the one you need. Filter by top note, bass string, or the changes you want to avoid.
  • From chord to tab. Drop any grip into a tab and play it back.
Open G7♯5 in the appRuns right in your browser — nothing to install.