Contrary Motion

When the pitches of two musical lines move in opposite directions their movement is said to be contrary. On the guitar can be difficult to play two separate lines, let alone have them go in opposite directions. But developing this technique can really enhance your playing.

Here is a pattern which is based on ascending and descending lines played in an alternating sequence, moving further apart as you go along;

Here's the notation for the pattern;

Follow the fingering carefully, play the pattern legato with no gaps between the notes. Notice that the first five measures are contained within a five-fret span. It is possible to simultaneously finger both notes in each of these measures. In the 6th measure, it will be very difficult to reach from the low E to the high C. If you can't connect them, get as close as you can. When you've played the pattern as written, try reading (and playing) it in reverse.

All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

Lower string group symmetries

The lower three strings have their own symmetry. The center of this symmetry is a group of tones I like to call 'The Big Box'.

The nine notes of this pattern, with D at the center, are aligned on the 3rd, 5th and 7th frets across the 4th, 5th and 6th strings. Looking at the remaining tones within the lower string group, you can see their rotational symmetry around the big box.

There are two complete mode scales in the big box. Ascending from G and descending from A it can be treated as an ascending Mixolydian mode from G to G, and a descending Aeolian mode, from A to A.

This pattern also fills the space between the Phrygian and Ionian modes on the same three strings;

So all the key of C note position on the lower three strings can be learned by studying these three patterns.

All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

Total Modal Symmetry

The diagram above shows all seven Diatonic Modes. They are shown in the key of C, divided into two groups; Primary Modes and Mixed Modes. The three primary modes are each made up of two intervalically identical tetrachords. The four mixed modes each contain two differing tetrachords. There is symmetry within each of these two mode groups. Study the Whole-step / Half-step patterns of each mode and each group of modes, looking at them from the center outward.

Knowing the tetrachord structure of each mode greatly simplifies the learning process. In addition, the three mirror mode sets we looked at earlier enable you to learn two modes simultaneously. As we've seen, the mirror mode principle organizes the tones of specific modes into symmetrical patterns on the fretboard. This is simply an expression of their innate musical symmetry within the diatonic system.

Ionian  mirrors Phrygian, Lydian mirrors Locrian, Mixolydian mirrors Aeolian, and Dorian mirrors itself.

There's really no reason to treat modes as mysterious, yet many guitarists are confused by them. Part of the reason for this is the tendency for scale patterns to be learned haphazardly. If your study of scales overlooks tetrachords and their symmetry, modes will be baffling.

Wikipedia has an interesting entry on modes; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Properties_of_musical_modes

All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

Tangentially ...

In case you're joining us mid-blog, this may help you catch up to the story line;

The previous entry ended, "In the next entry, we'll sum up the overall structure of modes within a given key...."

... And it's true. In the next post we'll get back to modes. Right now it may be a good idea to restate just what is the point of this method.

Diatonic Symmetry

The Fretography®  method debunks the myth that the guitar fretboard is asymmetrical. It approaches the fretboard from the middle, not from the open strings and the first fret 'up'.

Fretography doesn't assume you are trying to avoid conventional music theory, nor does it require you have a music degree to understand it, only a basic knowledge of fundamental music theory concepts is required. If you're a beginner, you can use Fretography to actually help you learn how music theory concepts apply to the guitar, which will enable you to communicate with players of other instruments like piano or sax. If you're an experienced guitarist, you'll find this method will augment your existing knowledge regardless of the style of music you play.

If the concepts and diagrams in this blog seem unusual it's because this method is not found elsewhere. The principle of fretboard symmetry is expressed and explored by means of Fretography. This principle is overlooked in other methods. In fact, the idea of symmetry on the guitar fretboard is usually treated as non-existent, or only approximate. Fretography shows that there is in fact a precise symmetry that can be learned and visualized, providing a highly useful tool in learning and playing the guitar. 

You may want to read the first entry; http://fretography.blogspot.com/2009/06/what-is-fretography.html

and progress from there. Or just browse around. Welcome to Fretography®

Next ...  back to modes....

All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

Dorian Mode ( Upper Strings / 3-String Form )

The only perfectly symmetrical mode is the Dorian mode. Based on the second scale degree, the interval pattern of the Dorian mode is;

If you look at this mode from the center whole-step and go both directions from there, you'll see that the intervals mirror each other. As a result of this, the Dorian mode appears in opposition to itself on the fretboard as seen in this diagram;

In the next entry, we'll sum up the overall structure of modes within a given key.

All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

Lower 3-String Modes

Our next modes are Lydian and Locrian, modes IV and VII, respectively.

These modes are also paired symmetrically. They differ from all other modes in that the central interval in each of them is a half-step. 

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More 3-String Mode Forms

The next two modes we'll examine are the Mixolydian and Aeolian modes, the Vth and VIth modes, respectively.

Like the Ionian and Phrygian, these two modes are mirror image interval patterns;

Study the diagram at the top of this post. Notice that the modes are geometrically opposite.

As with all patterns on the guitar, there are various forms for playing each mode. The specific forms in these diagrams are chosen because they clearly illustrate the symmetry of the patterns. This is a useful way of learning modes, because you can learn two at a time while also achieving a better understanding of their tonal character.

Remember that symmetry is an inherent element in the diatonic system. ( Review the blog entry on this subject ) Just as specific tones are arranged in geometrically opposing pairs, so are modes.

All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

Modes ( 3-String Forms )

When you play a major scale you are in fact playing a mode. Any time the tones of a key are played in sequence spanning an octave, it's a mode. For example; the sequence C D E F G A B C, usually referred to as a major scale, is also known as the Ionian Mode. The sequence D E F G A B C D is the Dorian Mode, E F G A B C D E is the Phrygian Mode.

Modes are useful for playing harmonies and are important in understanding how melodies work. Songs don't all begin and end on the tonic.

Two modes are shown above; Ionian and Phrygian. Notice that the note positions in one are the exact opposite of the other. The interval structures of these two modes are mirror images of each other;

Each mode contains all the tones of the key, but they each begin and end on a different tone. Play each mode and you'll find that they have their own individual musical character. These two modes harmonize because they are a 3rd apart. If two guitars each play one of these modes in synch with each other, the result will be a harmonious scale.

There are seven modes, one for each scale degree. Below is a list of the modes and their interval structures;

I = Ionian Mode;

C D E F G A B C / W W H W W W H

II = Dorian Mode;

D E F G A B C D / W H W W W H W

III = Phrygian Mode;

E F G A B C D E / H W W W H W W

IV = Lydian Mode;

F G A B C D E F / W W W H W W H

V = Mixolydian Mode;

G A B C D E F G / W W H W W H W

VI = Aeolian Mode;

A B C D E F G A / W H W W H W W

VII = Locrian Mode;

B C D E F G A B / H W W H W W W

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We'll look at the symmetrical relationships of the other modes in the next posting.

All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter