Presenting two classic meetings with a pioneer of virtuoso guitar

Rusty Cooley is not just a pioneer of technical guitar playing, but also of guitar technique investigation. He occupies a special place in Cracking the Code history as the first player to test each generation of our slow-motion technology: the original computer-controlled ShredCam, and the earliest version of our smartphone-powered Magnet.

If our 2005 meeting was a test flight of our first slow motion rig for filming musical interviews, then Rusty was its Chuck Yeager. He gamely navigated an awkward assembly of mounting arms and FireWire cables to find playable fretboard space. The 2013 session alleviated some of these challenges, and added new ones with an early, non-adjustable prototype of the Magnet. This limited fretboard access but added vastly more recording time, allowing more natural capture of unplanned and subconscious motions.

With their experimental equipment and numerous software crash interruptions, these meetings were more like prototype field tests than traditional interviews. The 2005 meeting includes extensive behind-the-scenes gear setup and conversation. The 2013 session is presented as a selection of playing examples with performance comments from Rusty.

Both meetings showcase Rusty’s incredible command of hyperpicking technique, terrifying legato chops, and unflappably chill demeanor in the face of technical roadblocks. The pair comprise over an hour of screen time and over 60 musical examples with tablature.