Martino

Excerpts from

THE NATURE OF GUITAR

Fundamentals

The Circle
The circle alters arrangements of tonal perspectives, and by doing so it reveals an intervalic balance thats invisible when seen in any other way.

a. HORIZONTAL:
A Twelve Tone Scale, from E

b. CIRCULAR:

Chromatic

The Twelve Tone Scale on a Circular Staff

6 Geometric Primaries

Chromatic
E
Eb

Gb

Db

Ab

C
B

A
Bb

Augmented
Eb

Diminished

Gb

Db

Gb

Db

Ab

Ab

Bb

Bb

V7/9

E
Eb

E
F

Eb

Db

Ab

C
A
Bb

The Guitar's Tuning

Gb

A
Bb

m11

Gb

Db

Ab

Eb

Eb

V7b5

Gb

Db

Ab

C
B

A
Bb

Eg. 1

Formulas and Transformations

Geometric blueprints for both of these parental forms appear in the following diagrams:

The Augmented Formula

The movement of any single tone 1/2 step
MA 3rds

DOWN
Abma

E
D

Cma

b
B

Ama

Fma

Bbma

E
D

Dma

Gbma

Bma

E
D

Ebma

b
B

1/2 step down

Ami

A
A

Dbmi

1/2 step up

Gbmi

B
Bbmi

A
A

Dmi

Gmi

Bmi

C
B

Ebmi

Cmi

Emi

A
A

A
A

E
D

C
B

A
A

A mi
E

A
A

Db mi
E

G
Mi

G
Mi

Mi

E Ma
E

F mi

C Ma

Ma

A
A

E
D

Abmi

Ma

D
F

Ab Ma

Ma

Gma

Minor

Fmi

MINOR

RELATIVE

Major

RELATIVE

MAJOR

Dbma

Ema

Transformations

UP

A
A

Eg. 2

The Diminished Formula

Like the Augmented parental form,

(producing two pure triads, descent as
a Major triad, and ascent as a relative
Minor triad) the movement of any
single tones by ! step within the
Diminished form, produces two forms
as well, (descent as V7s, and ascent
as a Mi7 (b5)s.

The movement of any single tone by 1/2 step

MI 3rds

DOWN
Eb

Eb7

UP
G 7

Gb

Gb7

Bb 7
1

Db

TRANSFORMATIONS

DOWN

UP

Eb7

A7

Ab

C
B

C7

Bb

Db 7

E 7

Eb

Db

Gmi7 (b5)

V7

V7

Db

Bb

E7

Eb

Gb7

G7

Ab 7
Gb

Db

Db

B
Bb

V7

A7

C#

Eb

Db

V7

Bb
Dbmi7 (b5)

V7

Gb
3

Db
C

Bb

V7

Db

Bbmi7 (b5)

Bb

C 7

V7

Db

V7

Ab

C
Bb

Bb

G
Ab

A 7

Db

D7

F 7
C7

B7

Gb

Bb

Ab7

Emi7 (b5)

Ab

F7

Bb

Bb

D 7

Db7

B 7

Bb7

Eb 7

Gb 7

In retrospect, when eventually viewed

fully both the Augmented, and the
Diminished structures define themselves
as distinct areas of chromatic families
circumscribed around larger 12 point
structures.

String Groups

Eg. 3

The columns displayed are not to be seen as the guitar fingerboard,

but as combinations of different sets of strings.
6 Strings
Full Use

6 5 4 3 2 1

= #1

5 String Groups

4 String Groups

3 String Groups

6 5 4 3 2 1

6 5 4 3 2 1

6 5 4 3 2 1

6
6
6
6
6

6
6
6
6
6
6
6

5 4 3
5 4
2
5 4
1
3 2
5
3
1
5
2
1
5
4 3 2

6
6
6

4 3
2
4
3 2
5 4 3 2
5 4 3
5 4
2

6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6

5 4 3 2
5 4 3
1
5 4
2 1
5
3 2 1
4 3 2 1
5 4 3 2 1

2 String Groups
6 5 4 3 2 1
6 5
6
4
6
3
2
6
1
6
5 4
5
3
5
2
5
1
4 3
2
4
1
4
3 2
3
1

1
1
1
1
1

3 2 1
4 3 2 1

5 4
5
3
5
2
5
1
4 3
4
2
1
4
3 2
3
1
2 1
5 4 3
5 4
2
5 4
1
5
5
5

1 String
6 5

3 2
3
1
2 1
4 3 2
4 3
1
4
2 1
3 2 1

6
5
4

#64 =

Silence

2 1

Take Note:
String groups that are darkened are also to be seen as functional sets

The Common Augmented Inversions

Eg. 4
13

12

11

10

1
6
5

Ab, C, & E Augmented

3
2
1

Series 3

13

12

Series 2

11

10

Series 1

1
6
5

A
D
J
A
C
E
N
T

3
2
1

Series 3

13

12

11

10

Series 1

Series 2

C, E, & Ab Augmented

1
6
5

3
2
1

Series 3

13

12

11

10

Series 1

Series 2

E, Ab, & C Augmented

1
6
5

3
2
1

Series 3

13

Series 2

12

11

10

Ab, C, & E Augmented

Series 1

1
6
5

Ab, C, & E Augmented

4
3
2
1

N
O
N

Series

13

A
D
J
A
C
E
N
T

12

11

Series 2

10

Series 1

1
6
5

C, E, & Ab Augmented

3
2
1

Series 2

Series 3

12

11

10

Series 1

1
6
5

4
3
2
1

Series 3

Series 2

Series 1

E, Ab, & C Augmented

Eg. 5

The Common Diminished Inversions

13

12

11

10

1
6
5

G, Bb, Db, and E Diminished

3
2
1

A
D
J
A
C
E
N
T

14

13

12

11

10

Series 1

Series 2

Series 3

Series 4

1
6
5

3
2
1

12

11

10

Series 1

Series 2

Series 3

Series 4

Db, E, G, and Bb Diminished

1
6

5
4
3
2
1

12

11

10

Series 1

Series 2

Series 3

Series 4

1
6
5
4
3
2
1

N
O
N
A
D
J
A
C
E
N
T

14

13

12

11

10

G, Bb, Db, and E Diminished

Series 1

Series 2

Series 3

Series 4

E, G, Bb, and Db Diminished

1
6
5

3
2
1

Series 4

Series 3

Series 2

Series 1

Db, E, G, and Bb Diminished

Vertical Inversions
Eg. 6

Once again, when we give thought to a practical use of the opposites, (yin & yang) and
view the outer fingers of the hand, (eg. 7) the two patterns seen above, (eg. 6) are perfectly in line with the fourth and first fingers. Vertically, pattern I begins at the lowest
point with the fourth finger followed by its next inversion, (in close range) beginning with
the first finger. These are the first two vertical inversions of this line form.
Eg. 7

Eg. 8

12 Inverted Fingerings
(Vertical & Horizontal)

Eg. 9

Eg. 10