F IERCE GUITAR
Reverse Linear
This month we’re going over a technique
I call Reverse Linear. It’s a technique that
I came up with many, many years ago
where you start your scale sequence on
the high E string and ascend linearly across
the fretboard to the lower strings. So
RUSTY COOLEY
while you are going higher on the neck
the pitch is getting lower. Reverse Linear
is the name I gave it because I had never
seen or heard anyone do it and I needed
to name it to be able to talk about it with
students or friends. I later discovered guys
like Holdsworth and Lane and one of my
lesser-known favorites, Derek Taylor, were
also using this technique. All of this month’s
examples are taken from my instructional
DVD, Fretboard Autopsy 2.
Example 1 All of the examples this month are in the key of G major and work in any of the modes in the key. For example, number one starts
on F# and ends on B before turning around and heading back to the F#. If you play this over a Bm chord, you would be starting on the fifth note
of the B scale, and ending up on the root; or over a G major chord you’d be starting on the seven and ending on the three—see what I mean?
As for the techniques, you can alternate pick or play entirely legato. Both ways sound great and should be explored. This sequence for the most
part is in groups of eight.
Example 2 Same scenario here, but starting on B and ending on C. The rhythmic groups here pulse in sixes.
Example 3 This one starts on a C and ends on a D. The rhythmic group here is one of my all time faves: fives. The cool thing about fives is each
group of five flips directions each time. For example measure one starts on the highest note of the three note group and the second measure
starts on the lowest note or the three-note-per-string group. So it’s constantly flipping direction of ascending and descending, each time hitting
the listener with a barrage of notes coming at you from all directions. Now that’s Fierce Guitar!
Okay, see ya next time! If you have any questions or requests, email me at rusty@rustycooley.com.
Rusty Cooley
Rusty Cooley has been playing and teaching for over 20
years, and has recorded as a solo artist, with his band
Outworld, and keyboardist Derek Sherinian. He has six
instructional DVDs and a signature model 7-string guitar, the
RC7 by Dean Guitars. Visit Rusty online at rustycooley.com
