Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods of driving an electroluminescent lamp. In one embodiment, the electroluminescent lamp is driven to a first threshold during a first time period and then driven to successive voltages between the threshold and a maximum voltage during successive time. This method of driving the lamp waveshapes the lamp voltage signal. In one example, the thresholds are set to minimize audible noise from the electroluminescent lamp due to the piezoelectric effect.