Writing strong, compelling melodies seems to be a good way to please people. Or at least, unearthing strong, compelling melodies.... Has anyone ever noticed how the more popular guitar instrumentals of the past 40 years or so generally have an ascending melody? I don't mean shred guitar with all the fiddly bits, but the kind of thing Jeff Beck and Carlos Santana play. Well, shred guitar too. Guitar players end with the high screamy guitarface stuff and steel licks dribble out the bottom.
Most of my favorite steel playing is in C6th, but the vast majority of steel playing out there is E9th - and for some reason, the "pull-to-unison" licks that are the bread and butter there are largely overlaid on a descending pattern. And if you introduced an electric guitar with no tone or volume controls and only one pickup -
Customer: "Where's the volume knob?"
clerk: "Umm, you use a volume pedal."
cust: "How do I make the tone change?"
clerk: "Umm, you change the amp settings."
cust: "How do I make the tone change real fast?"
clerk: "You change the amp, real fast..."
The evolutionary trends that stole the volume control
also have resulted in steel guitar pickups being so powerful that they're largely incompatible with guitar stompboxes and amplifiers. Making steel guitars that would work through regular amps is a thought. Zane's got another video up with his stand-up Jackson six-string steel, and the pedals are all over on the left side. Skateboarders call that "goofyfoot" for a reason....
It would probably be a good comedy bit to use a volume pedal with your right foot and the steel pedals with your left, cause you'd fall right on your keister. Now
that's entertainment.