Lessons in Fretography

 I offer one on one guitar lessons for all levels in San Francisco. The Fretography® method is an integral part of the lessons. The beginner learns to find their way around the Fretboard from day one. The more experienced player will find new pathways to explore any range of musical possibilities.

What you get from Fretography® that you won't get from other methods is a full awareness of the entire fretboard rather than just a piecemeal approach to chords and scales. You can apply this to any style of music instantly. You don't need any prior musical knowledge, it's all in the method.

Go to my Lesson Page 

Contact Mark Newstetter >  lessons@guitarpixel.com 

Beginning students learn the basics of theory, technique and fingerboard navigation. Starting with simple chords and rhythms, then adding melodic and harmonic ideas, you'll make rapid progress toward your musical goals. A six or ten lesson series also includes my 181 page textbook 'Fretography®' - a $21 value - at no extra cost.

More advanced students further develop their understanding of improvisation, composition and accompaniment by studying such things as chord inversions, contrary motion, hybrid picking styles and more.

If you'd like to schedule lessons or have any questions contact me by phone at (415) 221-3920 or email.

If you prefer, you can pay for lessons through PayPal by selecting the lesson and clicking the Buy Now buttons below, or you can pay when you arrive for your scheduled lesson.

My rates are as follows;

At my location - 3942 Balboa Street (2 blocks south of Geary near 41st Avenue, San Francisco)

Single lesson rate: $50 per hr/lesson.

6 lesson discount rate: $270 paid ahead. 

($45 per hr/lesson, also includes my 181 page textbook 'Fretography®' - a $21 value - at no extra cost.) 

10 lesson discount rate: $400 paid ahead. 

($40 per hr/lesson, includes 'Fretography®' book)

Buy Online

10 Lessons $400.00 USD 6 Lessons $270.00 USD One Lesson $50.00 USD

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Super Arpeggios

Theoretically simple arpeggios are not so simple on the guitar. Playing the sequences of major and minor thirds which, at the simplest, can be expressed as "every other white key on the piano;"

Because arpeggios are actually chords, the notes in an arpeggio may be numbered accordingly. The first note of a simple arpeggio is the Root. The keyboard diagram shows an extended G dominant arpeggio in the key of C;

The equivalent arpeggio on the guitar is shown below;

If the convoluted blue pattern above is confusing, try breaking it in half. Here's the upper part;

... and the lower part;

As you can see, each half of the full extended arpeggio is quite symmetrical. When combined the form is more complex, but visualizing the dual symmetry makes it easier to navigate.

There are seven super-arpeggios in this system. Below you see them all, labeled for the major scale degree on which each one is rooted;

You can treat these arpeggios as we've done with the G dominant, playing the lower three strings and the upper four strings of each separately, then joining the upper and lower forms.

Here's notation for all nine patterns shown above;

Here are sound files of each 6-string arpeggio as shown in the diagrams and notation above;

... E Mediant (Open position) Arpeggio
... G Dominant (3rd fret) Arpeggio
... B Leading Tone (7th Fret) Arpeggio
... D Supertonic (10th Fret) Arpeggio
... F Subdominant (1st Fret) Arpeggio
... A Submediant (5th Fret) Arpeggio
... C Tonic (8th Fret) Arpeggio
... E Mediant (12th Fret) Arpeggio

You can find  more about arpeggios elsewhere in this blog.

All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

Crazy Zig-zag Lightning Bolt Major Scale

Deconstructing  the contrary motion pattern in the last entry, we can see that the lower line is actually an interesting scale form in its own right.

You can think of this zig-zag pattern as a lightning bolt. What's nice about this pattern is that it moves in the opposite direction of most scale patterns in that the higher pitched notes are lower on the fretboard.

Looking at the pattern in the key of C as a descending line, it begins at the 5th fret, 3rd string; what, in Fretography, is called the Center C. From there you play B on the same string, then two notes on each string to the low C as shown in the diagram and notation.

The 2-note-per-string approach to scales can be applied to all seven modes of every key.

Organizing the scale this way connects fret positions in an unusual way. You shift up the frets while moving lower in pitch. It is one of twelve standard Fretography® fingering patterns for the C major scale in this octave. In the next entry we'll look at all twelve 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

More Symmetrical Triad Inversions

The diagram above shows 1st and 2nd inversion triads. As in the previous entry, they are shown in the keys of C, D, and E. While all the roots of the triads in the previous entry were on the 2nd string. This time, the 1st inversion (blue shapes) roots are on the 1st string, and the 2nd inversion (green shapes) roots are on the 3rd string.

Once again, the chord shapes line up symmetrically around the Aeolian Axis (2nd inversion vi, 1st inversion vi) and the Void Axis (2nd inversion ii & iii, 1st inversion IV & V).


All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

Symmetrical Triad Inversions

Lets return to the tones of the key of C for a study of chord symmetry on the four top strings. The pattern above (click for larger image) shows the symmetry of some triad inversions.

Triad inversions are simple three note chords where the Root is not the lowest pitched tone in the chord as it is in the Root voicing. In a 1st inversion the 5th of the chord is lower in pitch than the Root, while the 3rd remains above the Root so that the pitch sequence from low to high is; 5th - Root - 3rd. A C major triad in its Root voicing is;

G - (5th)

E - (3rd)

C - (Root)

A 1st inversion C major triad moves the Root to the top;

C - (Root)

G - (5th)

E - (3rd)

A 2nd inversion C major triad moves the 3rd to the top;

E - (3rd)

C - (Root)

G - (5th)

The Diagram above shows 1st and 2nd inversion triads found within the top four strings with their roots on the 2nd string. The green triangles placed on strings 4, 3 and 2 represent 1st inversion triads, the blue triangles on strings 3, 2 and 1 represent 2nd inversions of the same triads. notice that the green and blue triangles are paired so that each 1st inversion and second inversion of the same three tones is connected. The gray triangles are a continuation of the pattern outside the primary symmetry.

Notice that the triads form a symmetrical pattern around the Aeolian Axis (indicated by a red vertical bar) where the E minor (iii chord) and F (IV chord) major chords are aligned in the key of C, and also around the Void Axis (gray vertical bar) which is the position of the B diminished (vii chord) in the key of C.

The pattern is shown in 3 keys; C, D, and E. E is shown with Roman numerals instead of alphabetical note names so that you can see the scale degree relationships. In the key of C, the triads are;

C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major, A minor, B diminished.

The same pattern can be expressed as scale degrees as follows;

I = major, ii = minor, iii = minor, IV = major, V = major, vi = minor, vii = diminished.

(It's traditional to use lower case Roman numerals to identify minor and diminished chords)

The overall symmetry of the pattern can be expressed as;

vii - I - ii - iii --- IV - V - vi - vii

... with the iii and IV chords at the center, and two instances of the vii chord, an octave apart, as a pair of bookends, or as;

IV - V - vi - vii - I - ii - iii

... with the vii chord at the center and IV & iii at the lower and higher ends of the pattern, respectively.

These relationships apply to every key, so you can extrapolate from the three patterns shown and play the triads in all keys.


All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

The Circle of Fifths

Sooner or later, the legendary Circle of 5ths must make an appearance. For our purposes, we are highlighting the keys of C and Gb/F#. As we've established in the previous post, Gb is preferable to F# in Fretography theory because it's a flat-5th above C, as opposed to F# which is a sharp-4th. The theoretical difference may seem arbitrary, but there are ramifications of each key which lead in different directions.

Consider that all the keys in the circle containing sharps are based on natural tones, F# would be the only practical exception. The key of C#, which follows F# in the circle has 7 sharps, while its enharmonic Db has 6 flats. As a rule it's preferable to opt for the key with more natural tones, so Db wins out over C#. Also, were we to accept F# over Gb, we would have, by default, seven keys with natural tonics, one key with a sharp tonic and four keys with flat tonics. If we choose Gb we have seven natural tonics and five flat tonics; much more logical since there are seven white keys and five black keys.

That said, treating the black-key tones as sharps in no way undercuts the Fretographic symmetry as we have outlined it. This point is largely a theoretical one. If we chose F# as the key, the Axis would still be Aeolian, but it would be based on D# and not Eb as it is in the key of Gb. In fact Fretography theory would be flawed if it was at odds with the enharmonic relationship between F# and Gb.

This blog is more concerned with mapping the notes on the fretboard than explaining every nuance of music theory, so we'll leave it at that for now. Suffice to say that here we will refer to the axis of black-key tones at the 11th fret as the Secondary Aeolian Axis which is based on its theoretical tonic of Gb on the 3rd string.

Next .... Black-key chords.


All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

11th fret Symmetry

The 11th fret is the location of the only natural alignment of black-key tones on the fretboard. In Fretography we refer to this position as The Void. However these same tones can be part of three flat keys; Db, Gb and Cb which have five, six and seven flats respectively.

Notice that these tone positions follows the same logic of 'paired symmetry' we've previously examined. With five tones to consider, they are paired in rotational symmetry as follows:

Gb - Bb

Ab - Ab

Db - Eb

In other words, wherever you find Gb on one side of the Axis - within the top four strings (white background) or within the bottom three strings (blue background), you'll find Bb in the diametrically opposite position. The same is true of Db and Eb. Ab (the second tone of Gb) is opposite itself, just as D is opposite itself in the key of C. The piano keyboard in the diagram makes the symmetry even more obvious. Can any note other than Ab be seen as the 'middle' of the five black keys?

When seen from this perspective, we are thinking of these tones as belonging to the key of Gb, which is found on the 3rd string of the Axis, shown on the 11th fret in the diagram above. Gb is structured as follows;

Gb W Ab W Bb H Cb W Db W Eb W F H Gb

Notice that our set of black-key tones excludes the 4th and 7th tones of Gb.

Gb W Ab W Bb H Cb W Db W Eb W F H Gb

[ An interesting coincidence is that the Cmajor/Aminor pentatonic scale (C D E G A) is produced by removing the 4th (F) and the 7th (B) from the key of C, and that the elimination of these same tones; The 4th of Gb; Cb (enharmonic of B) and the 7th of Gb; F, result in a pentatonic scale based on 5 different tones (Gb Ab Bb Db Eb). ]

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

This is the template for Pentatonic Scales typical in rock and blues. If you are already familiar with Pentatonic scales on the guitar, you'll recognize the pattern. But rather than approach these tones from that angle, we'll look at them in their diatonic context as the black-key chromatic tones of the key of C major/A minor.

C Db D Eb E F Gb G Ab A Bb B C

Keep in mind that, though the diagram shows the pattern from the 5th fret up, the pattern from the 12th fret to the 17th is exactly the same as from the open strings to the 5th fret, so nothing is really missing. By placing the Secondary Aeolian Axis at the center of the diagram, the symmetry becomes clearer (refer to the previous post for the view beginning at the open strings).

In an upcoming post we'll look at chords based on the five black-key tones. But first, more about the difference between the keys of Gb and F#.


All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

Diatonic Symmetry

Fretography focuses on the symmetrical distribution of tones on the guitar fretboard. This symmetry is not some graphic trick. It's not an accident that the notes line up the way they do. The symmetry is inherent in the Diatonic system itself. Out of the twelve tones which comprise the diatonic system (which is the basis of western music), a set seven tones make up each key. The interval relationships within each key are the same (see "Tetrachords" in this blog).

The whole-steps and half-steps are sequenced symmetrically in a repeating pattern. Strangely, this symmetry is obscured in the major scale;

W-W-H-W-W-W-H

However, if we look at the Dorian mode, which begins on the second scale degree, we can see a clear mirror symmetry around a central whole-step;

W-H-W-W-W-H-W

This mode is central to the Diatonic system, and the underlying element of the symmetry of the fretboard.

In the key of C, D becomes the fulcrum around which the entire system revolves;

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

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If you study the line above you'll see that the whole-steps and half-steps are symmetrically arrayed around the D. There is no other tone in the key which can function as the fulcrum. Place any other tone at the center and you will have asymmetry.

Notice that, except for D, all the other tones are paired symmetrically; C&E, G&A, B&F are each paired. They are three sets of symmetrical counterparts on either side of the fulcrum, while D is its own 'partner'. This arrangement is precisely what we see on the guitar fretboard in the Fretography system.

From the open strings to the 10th fret, within the four top strings as a set (D-G-B-E low to high), and within the three bottom strings as a set (E-A-D low to high) the tones are found in symmetrical opposition to each other in the same pairs as we've just laid out. Where C appears on the 1st fret of the 2nd string, E is found on the 9th fret of the 3rd string. At the center of the span, C is on the 3rd string 5th fret, E is on the 2nd string 5th fret, and so on.

Study the diagram at the top of this post, and those in the previous posts and you will see how this method will enable you to achieve a greater awareness of the relative positions of all the notes on the fretboard, not simply as linear progressions, but connected over the entire grid in every direction and across wide distances.


All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

Fretboard Symmetry

The diagram above shows the tones of the key of C as they are arrayed on the fretboard from the open strings to the 10th fret. There are no tones in the key on the 11th fret, and the system begins again at the 12th fret. By splitting the system into two groups of strings, upper and lower, we can see the clear embedded symmetry.

The 'upper string group' comprises the top four strings (D, G, B, E from low to high), the 'lower string group' comprises the three bottom strings (E, A, D from low to high), the 4th string (D) is shared by both groups.

The three half step clusters in the upper string group each comprise the same four pitches - middle B, C, E, F on the piano - shown as VII, I, III, IV in the diagram. The two clusters in the lower string group contain the same four tones and octave lower. Also, each of the string groups contain two partial clusters with two tones in each.

Just as the repeating pattern of black and white keys on the piano is essential in understanding and accessing the tones on the piano keyboard, this method of mapping and diagramming the guitar fretboard has real advantages over the conventional linear approach.

Every scale, mode, interval and chord can be understood more comprehensively with the help of the symmetrical approach offered by Fretography. Regardless of the style of music you play, your understanding of music theory as applied on the guitar will be enhanced.

Take some time to study the diagram above. Find your way around the fretboard using it as a guide. Let yourself meander, don't try to play scales, but treat the diagram as a roadmap and learn the terrain the way you would make your way around if your were visiting a new city.

You might start with the central half step cluster, positioned at the 5th fret, and then venture out from there in all directions, returning to the center again. Remember that the symmetry is based on two separate string groups, so stay within the top four strings for a while, then the lower three, before crossing between the two groups.


All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

Half Step Clusters

In the diagram above, dark ellipses indicate the positions of the diatonic half steps. The lighter gray regions are the zone patterns we have discussed previously. Notice that each of the two zone patterns contain two half step clusters consisting of four notes, and one 'partial cluster' consisting of two notes. There is a skewed cluster at the center of the system between the two zones.

Notice that this diagram replaces alphabetical note names with Roman numerals. C=I, D=II etc.

Learning the positions of these clusters will go a long way toward helping you to be able to clearly visualize all the note positions as you play. Memorize the fret and string positions of each cluster. Once you've done this you will know the positions of 4 of the 7 tones in the key of C. The remaining three tones are all whole steps apart, so you can navigate from any half step cluster in either direction on any string and play either two or three whole steps to get to the next cluster. More precisely, there are two whole steps going up from the highest tone in the cluster (IV), and two whole steps going down from the lowest cluster tone (VII) before arriving at the next cluster.

It may appear that the patterns are only roughly symmetrical. However, as well see in the next entry, there is a very precise symmetry embedded in the fretboard if you know how to look at it.


All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

The VII Zone

Because the Zone patterns in Fretography are named for their Diatonic position, you always know where you are within any key. In the key of C major, the 7th scale degree is B. By a happy coincidence, B is found on the 7th fret of the 1st and 6th strings, so the VII Zone in the key of C is based on the 7th fret.

If you position your 1st finger at the 7th fret the next three fingers align with the next three frets and stay that way when you play this pattern. Playing the pattern from low to high gives you the following fingering;

string > finger

1st > 1 - 2 - 4

2nd > * - 2 - 4

3rd > 1 - 3 - 4

4th > 1 - 3 - 4

5th > 1 - 2 - 4

6th > 1 - 2 - 4

*There are only two notes on the 2nd string in this pattern.

The bold numbers indicate the positions of the tonic.

By grouping the strings in pairs; low, middle and high, we can see the symmetry of the pattern more clearly;

1st > 1 - 2 - 4

2nd > * - 2 - 4

---------------

3rd > 1 - 3 - 4

4th > 1 - 3 - 4

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5th > 1 - 2 - 4

6th > 1 - 2 - 4

Learn the pattern string by string from bottom to top, starting with B on the 6th string - ending with D on the 1st string. Notice that the two bottom strings (5 and 6) have the same fingering. Likewise, the fingerings on the two middle strings (4 and 3) are identical. Of the two top strings, the 2nd string has only two notes which are played with the 2nd and 4th fingers, and the 1st string fingering is 1 - 2 - 4.

Study the diagram, giving special attention to the positions of the half-steps, B - C / E - F. Notice that they form clusters on the two bottom strings at the 7th and 8th frets, and on the two middle strings on the 9th and 10th frets. There is also a half-step on the 1st string at the 7th and 8th frets which duplicates the pattern on the 6th string.

The VII Zone is the simplest and fastest way to play diatonic scales across all six strings since it has such clear symmetry and does not involve a shift of hand position. Playing the complete pattern will take you from the 7th scale degree of the key of C, to the 2nd scale degree, two octaves higher. The total range of the VII Zone is two octaves plus a minor 3rd.

A two octave C major scale is played by beginning with C on the 6th string and ending on C 1st string. For single octave C major scales, play from C 6th string to C 4th string, or C 4th string to C 1st string. Whenever you play any part of this Zone pattern, be sure to use the same fingering, keeping your fingers aligned with the frets as described above. By doing so, you'll be able to find the note you need, when you need it.


All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter

What is Fretography ?

The word Fretography was coined by Mark Newstetter as the name of a system of mapping the guitar fretboard. As a guitar teacher, Mark felt that there was something missing from the available guitar study materials and methods. While there are plenty of diagrams to be found showing numerous scales and chords, there just wasn't a system of connecting the standard Diatonic system of music with a set of diagrams that add up to provide the student with a complete and consistent map of the note patterns of each key as a whole.

In other words, rather than merely putting together a series of diagrams of chords and scales which are learned one by one, Fretography approaches the fretboard as a whole right from the start. This gives the student an iconic picture of the whole system of notes of every key which beginners and advanced players alike find extremely useful in finding their way around the fretboard.

Many guitar students struggle to understand how each scale and chord they learn are related to each other in a musical key. The very concept of keys is difficult enough for the beginner and is not made any easier by the usual piecemeal approach to fretboard patterns.

The fact is, there are important 'landmarks' on the fretboard which are completely overlooked in some methods and only given token significance in others. In Fretography, these landmarks given the attention they deserve; they are assigned names which correspond with their significance in standard music theory.

For instance; there are three places in the system where there is a note on each string at a particular fret. The open strings (EADGBE), the 5th fret (ADGCEA) and the 10th fret (DGCFAD). The 12th fret notes are the same as the open strings an octave higher, so it can be thought of as theoretically the same place.

Fretography gives each of these positions a name. EADGBE is the 'Phrygian Axis', ADGCEA is the 'Aeolian Axis' and DGCFAD is the 'Dorian Axis'. These names are based on the diatonic modes which stem from the top and bottom note of each position in the key of C: E = Phrygian mode (3rd step of the key), A=Aeolian mode (6th step), and D = Dorian mode (2nd step). These three Axis positions are found in all twelve keys and define the fret positions based on the 3rd, 6th and 2nd step of each key.

At first glance, the remaining notes of the key seem to be spread around in a random pattern. In fact there is a very precise symmetry in the pattern, but it is not immediately obvious. Fretography makes sense of the apparent disorder. After identifying the three axis positions, other landmarks are mapped and named.

Imagine trying to get from place to place in an unfamiliar city without a map that shows the overall boundaries of the city. Imagine having a map with no names for neighborhoods or streets. This is in fact how most methods approach the fretboard. Fretography assigns logical names to the various landmarks, patterns and zones of the fretboard which relate directly with conventional music theory so you have a dynamic way of learning how each scale and chord fits in with the whole of music theory. This ultimately makes it easier to learn music as well as improvise.


All contents of this blog are © Mark Newstetter