VISUAL REFERENCE FOR MUSICIANS

BY MILES OKAZAKI
2014 EDITION

TWO NOTE STRUCTURES

The intervallic relationship between any two different pitches within an octave will form one of these 6 shapes.

THREE NOTE STRUCTURES

The intervallic relationship between any three different pitches within an octave will form one of these 19 shapes.

FOUR NOTE STRUCTURES

The intervallic relationship between any four different pitches within an octave will form one of these 43 shapes.

TABLE OF MELODIC ELEMENTS

EXPLANATION:
Pitches are shown as a chromatic circle, ascending in a clockwise direction.
One circle represents all transpositions - pitches can be assigned in any rotation.
For example:
Bb

Db

C
D

Gb

Eb

Gb

Eb

Ab

C
D
F

Eb

. . . and so on.
root

Each pitch collection is shown as a shape formed by connected dots. A major triad looks like this:
This figure represents all transpositions of the same intervallic relationships:

b b

&

b b

# n n

b b b

# n n

b
b

n n n

3rd
5th

# n n

# n #

All inversions and octave displacements are considered equivalent.

The same figure above also represents any of these, in any transposition, or any other larger range of pitches:

&

Pitch sets can be simultaneous (chords) or sequential (melodic).

The same figure above also represents any of these, in any transposition, in any rhythm:

&

All unique pitch formations in 12-Tone Equal Temperament containing a number of pitches from 0 - 12 are listed.
Only one rotation of any formation is listed. Rotation is equivalent to transposition.
For example,

is listed, but its rotation

is redundant and not listed.

The total of 352 pitch formations are derived from 122 prime forms (this includes the empty set, with no pitches).
Prime form is the arrangement of pitches starting at 12:00 on the circle that has the smallest intervallic span.
A prime form can produce three other formations through these operations:
1) Reflection (reversing the intervallic order)
2) Complement (the negative space of the Prime Form)
3) Reflected Complement (the negative space of the Reflection, or the Reflection of the Complement)
Each row of the table shows a Prime Form and its related formations.
If one of the operations does not produce a new formation, the space is left blank.
For example,

And the complement of

upon reflection makes

is

which is the same as the original formation in rotation.

(this is the case with any symmetrical shape)

which, when rotated, is the same as the reflection:

(this can only happen with six note formations)

PRIME FORM
0 pitches

empty set

1 pitch

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT
12 pitches

chromatic scale

11 pitches

single pitch

2 pitches

semitone / major 7th

tone / minor 7th

minor 3rd / major 6th

major 3rd / minor 6th

perfect 4th / perfect 5th

tritone

10 pitches

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

3 pitches

3 pitches

9 pitches

9 pitches

minor triad

diminished triad

augmented triad

major triad

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

4 pitches

4 pitches

8 pitches

8 pitches

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

4 pitches

4 pitches

8 pitches

8 pitches

all interval tetrachord

{0,1,3,7}

all interval tetrachord

{0,4,6,7}

all interval tetrachord

{0,1,4,6}

all interval tetrachord

{0,2,5,6}

major 7th

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

4 pitches

4 pitches

8 pitches

8 pitches

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

4 pitches

4 pitches

8 pitches

8 pitches

minor 6th

dominant 7th

minor 7th

diminished 7th

octatonic

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

5 pitches

5 pitches

7 pitches

7 pitches

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

5 pitches

5 pitches

7 pitches

7 pitches

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

5 pitches

5 pitches

7 pitches

7 pitches

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

5 pitches

5 pitches

7 pitches

7 pitches

harmonic major

harmonic minor

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

5 pitches

5 pitches

7 pitches

7 pitches

melodic minor

pentatonic

diatonic

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

6 pitches

6 pitches

6 pitches

6 pitches

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

6 pitches

6 pitches

6 pitches

6 pitches

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

6 pitches

6 pitches

6 pitches

6 pitches

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

6 pitches

6 pitches

6 pitches

6 pitches

PRIME FORM

REFLECTION

COMPLEMENT

REFLECTED COMPLEMENT

6 pitches

6 pitches

6 pitches

6 pitches

whole tone

RANDOMIZED CHROMATIC PITCH SPACE

Two diagrams of twelve tone rows arranged in large 12x12 Latin Squares made of smaller 3x4 Latin Rectangles.
Each complete row, column, and small 3x4 rectangle formed by dotted lines contains 12 tones.
There are 479,001,600 possible 12 tone rows, and there are billions of possible versions of these diagrams.

Gb

Db

E
Ab

Eb

Gb

Eb

Ab

Db
Bb

Bb

Ab
Eb
E

Db

Ab

Eb

Bb

Eb

Gb

Bb

Db

Db

Gb

Bb

Db

Eb

Bb

Gb

Ab

Db

Ab

Eb

A#

G#

C#
A

F
C

A#

D#

C#
G

F#
B

F#
F

A#

Ab

Db

Bb

Gb

Db

Bb

Eb

Ab

Gb

F#

G#

D#

G#

C#

G#

G#

F#

D#

F#

A#

D#

G#

C
A

C#

D#

A#

C#

D#

C#

F#

D#

G#

G#

A#

F#

D#

A
F#

Gb

Bb

Db

Ab

Eb

C#

Eb

D#

G#

Db

Ab

G#

Ab

Db

Gb

Eb

Bb

Ab

Bb

Bb

Gb

Gb

Gb

Eb

A#

F#
D

F#

D#

G#

A#
B

C#

A#

C#

A#

F
D

F#

C#
G

A#

C#

D#

G#

A#

D#

D
C#

F#
A

E
B

TRIADIC PITCH SPACE

Three axis lattice, connecting pitches by Minor Thirds, Major Thirds, and Perfect Fourths.

Semitones

Major Triad

Minor Triad

5th

Root

5th

Root

3rd

3rd

C
Ab

Eb

Ab

Bb

Eb

Ab

Eb

G
Eb

Bb

Bb

C
Ab

C
Ab

Db

Gb

F
Db

Gb

Gb

Db

Eb

Ab

Bb

Db

Gb

Gb

Eb

Gb

MIXED SYMMETRY PITCH SPACE

Connected Whole Tone, Diminished, and Pentatonic shapes. Opposing tonal areas connected in the center by Perfect Fourths.
Name:
Axes of Symmetry:

Diminished
4

Whole Tone
12

E
Bb
E
Bb
Ab

Eb

Db

Gb

Db

Bb

Db

Bb

Ab

Eb

E
Db

Db

Eb

Db

Ab

Gb

Db

Bb

D
A

F
C

Eb

Bb

D
A

F
C

Eb

A
F

Ab

Gb

D
A

F
C

Eb

A
F

Ab

Gb

A
F

Eb

A
F

Ab

Eb

Db

Pentatonic
1

G
D

B
E
A

Gb

G
D

B
E
A

Gb

Ab
Eb

Bb

E
Db

Gb

Ab

Bb

Ab

E
Gb

Db

Eb

Ab

Gb

Eb

Eb

A
D
Bb

Gb
C

E
Db

Gb
B

Ab

Bb

Ab

Bb

E
A

Bb

G
D

Ab
Eb
F

Bb

E
Db

Gb
B

Ab

Bb

Eb
F

GOLDEN RATIO PITCH SPACE

Aperiodic Penrose Tiling with Pentatonic pitch assignments (shown in corners).
As the number of tiles increases, the ratio of Kite to Dart shapes approaches the Golden Mean.

C
A

D
B

Db

Ab

Eb

Gb
Db

F
Eb

Ab
Bb

Ab
Bb

Gb

A
B

Eb

C
A

Ab
Bb

Eb

Gb

Ab

Db

Eb
G

Bb

Ab

Eb

Ab

Db

Bb

Gb

Gb

Gb

Eb
G

Db

Bb
Ab

Gb

F
Eb

Eb

Bb

E
A

Gb

A
B

Eb

Gb

C
A

D
Db

Db

Bb
Ab

Ab

Eb

Gb

Bb

Db

Bb

Bb

Eb

Ab

Eb

Db

Gb

Gb

Eb

Eb

Db

Bb

Gb

E
A

Gb

Bb

C
C

Ab

Gb

Bb

Db

Ab

Eb

Gb

Eb

Bb

Db

Bb

Gb

Gb

Bb

Db

Ab

Gb

Eb

Db

Bb

Gb

Gb

Gb

D
G

Eb

D
G

Db

G
G

A
B

G
G

C
D

Gb

Bb

Db

Ab

Eb

Gb

Bb

Db

Bb

Ab

Gb

Eb

Db

C
Db

Bb

C
A

Bb

D
G

Eb

Gb

Gb

F
Eb
Db

Bb
Ab

Eb
Gb

POLYPULSE

The 28 possible polypulses created by using subdivisions of the beat 2-8, shown in reciprocal pairs.
Large dots are sounded events, small dots are rests, and arcs show subdivision groupings.
(turn the page upside down to reverse orientation)

2:3

7:6
7:8

8:7

5:8

6:7

7:5

8:5

5:6

5:7

7:4

6:5

3:8

4:7

7:3

8:3

5:4

3:7

5:3

4:5

7:2

3:5

3:4

2:7

5:2

4:3

3:2

2:5

FOUR BEAT RHYTHMIC MODES

EXPLANATION:
The vertical lines show a four beat space.
The numbered box shows the beat subdivision.
The number beside the box counts the modes below.
Modes are created by grouping subdivisions in two ways:
Short (2 subdivisions, indicated by an upward arc)
Long (3 subdivisions, indicated by a downward arc)
Rhythmic modes fill the space entirely, without gaps.
All possible four beat modes are shown for the first
four prime number subdivisions of the beat (2,3,5 and 7).

(1 - 4)

(1 - 6)

(7 - 12)

(1 - 20)

(21 - 40)

(41 - 60)

(61 - 80)

(81 - 100)

(101 - 114)

(1 - 20)

(21 - 40)

(41 - 60)

(61 - 80)

(81 -100)

(101 - 120)

(121 -140)

(141 - 160)

(161 - 180)

(181 - 200)

(201 - 220)

(221 - 240)

(241 - 260)

(261 - 280)

(281 - 300)

(301 - 320)

(321 - 340)

(341 - 360)

(361 - 380)

(381 - 400)

(401 - 420)

(421 - 440)

(441 - 460)

(461 - 480)

(481 - 500)

(501 - 520)

(521 - 540)

(541 - 560)

(561 - 580)

(581 - 600)

(601 - 620)

(621 - 640)

(641 - 660)

(661 - 680)

(681 - 700)

(701 - 720)

(721 - 740)

(741 - 760)

(761 - 780)

(781 - 800)

(801 - 820)

(821 - 840)

(841 - 860)

(861 - 880)

(881 - 900)

(901 - 920)

(921 - 940)

(941 - 960)

(961 - 980)

(981 - 1000)

(1001 - 1020)

(1021 - 1040)

(1041 - 1060)

(1061 - 1081)

TABLE OF RHYTHMIC ELEMENTS

Explanation:
Rhythms are shown as a circle to eliminate redundancies and visualize the shape.
On the circular path, large nodes are sounded events, and small nodes are rests.
One circle represents all rotations - rhythms can start at any point. For example:

or

or

or

or

All unique rhythmic figures built from lengths of 1, 2 and 3, with number of events from 2 to 7 are listed,
with these exceptions:

Rhythms that are equivalent to a

constant pulse are not listed.
For example:

Only one rotation of a rhythm is listed.

For example:

(listed)

(not listed)

or
or
or

or

or

or

. . . etc.

(not listed)

(not listed)

=
(listed)

Rhythms are independent from any subdivision or time signature.

For example, this figure played in different beat subdivisions could be:

=
(not listed)

pulse of 2

Internally repetitive rhythms are not listed.

For example:

(listed)
(not listed)

The table shows the 505 rhythms with

lengths of up to 7 events, where each
event can be of length 1, 2 or 3.
The number of possible rhythms with
this system extended to 12 events would be:

Events: Possible Rhythms:

2
3
3
8
4
18
5
48
6
116
7
312
8
810
9
2,184
10
5,880
11
16,104
12
44,220

RHYTHMS WITH TWO EVENTS

Lengths = 3, 4, 5

RHYTHMS WITH THREE EVENTS

Lengths = 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

RHYTHMS WITH FOUR EVENTS

Lengths = 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

RHYTHMS WITH FIVE EVENTS

Lengths = 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

RHYTHMS WITH SIX EVENTS

Length = 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

(columns connected by brackets contain rhythms of the same length)

RHYTHMS WITH SIX EVENTS

length = 12

RHYTHMS WITH SIX EVENTS

Lengths = 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

RHYTHMS WITH SEVEN EVENTS

lengths = 8, 9, 10, 11

(columns connected by brackets contain rhythms of the same length)

RHYTHMS WITH SEVEN EVENTS

length = 12

RHYTHMS WITH SEVEN EVENTS

length = 13

RHYTHMS WITH SEVEN EVENTS

length = 14

RHYTHMS WITH SEVEN EVENTS

length = 15

RHYTHMS WITH SEVEN EVENTS

length = 16

RHYTHMS WITH SEVEN EVENTS

Lengths = 17, 18, 19, 20