diff --git a/basis/math/blas/matrices/matrices-docs.factor b/basis/math/blas/matrices/matrices-docs.factor
index f20a565e1f..b6e118836e 100644
--- a/basis/math/blas/matrices/matrices-docs.factor
+++ b/basis/math/blas/matrices/matrices-docs.factor
@@ -14,34 +14,34 @@ ARTICLE: "math.blas-types" "BLAS interface types"
 "BLAS vectors come in single- and double-precision, real and complex flavors:"
 { $subsection float-blas-vector }
 { $subsection double-blas-vector }
-{ $subsection float-complex-blas-vector }
-{ $subsection double-complex-blas-vector }
+{ $subsection complex-float-blas-vector }
+{ $subsection complex-double-blas-vector }
 "These vector types all follow the " { $link sequence } " protocol. In addition, there are corresponding types for matrix data:"
 { $subsection float-blas-matrix }
 { $subsection double-blas-matrix }
-{ $subsection float-complex-blas-matrix }
-{ $subsection double-complex-blas-matrix } 
+{ $subsection complex-float-blas-matrix }
+{ $subsection complex-double-blas-matrix } 
 "There are BOA constructors for all vector and matrix types, which provide the most flexibility in specifying memory layout:"
 { $subsection <float-blas-vector> }
 { $subsection <double-blas-vector> }
-{ $subsection <float-complex-blas-vector> }
-{ $subsection <double-complex-blas-vector> }
+{ $subsection <complex-float-blas-vector> }
+{ $subsection <complex-double-blas-vector> }
 { $subsection <float-blas-matrix> }
 { $subsection <double-blas-matrix> }
-{ $subsection <float-complex-blas-matrix> }
-{ $subsection <double-complex-blas-matrix> }
+{ $subsection <complex-float-blas-matrix> }
+{ $subsection <complex-double-blas-matrix> }
 "For the simple case of creating a dense, zero-filled vector or matrix, simple empty object constructors are provided:"
 { $subsection <empty-vector> }
 { $subsection <empty-matrix> }
 "BLAS vectors and matrices can also be constructed from other Factor sequences:"
 { $subsection >float-blas-vector }
 { $subsection >double-blas-vector }
-{ $subsection >float-complex-blas-vector }
-{ $subsection >double-complex-blas-vector }
+{ $subsection >complex-float-blas-vector }
+{ $subsection >complex-double-blas-vector }
 { $subsection >float-blas-matrix }
 { $subsection >double-blas-matrix }
-{ $subsection >float-complex-blas-matrix }
-{ $subsection >double-complex-blas-matrix } ;
+{ $subsection >complex-float-blas-matrix }
+{ $subsection >complex-double-blas-matrix } ;
 
 ARTICLE: "math.blas.matrices" "BLAS interface matrix operations"
 "Transposing and slicing matrices:"
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ HELP: blas-matrix-base
 { $list
     { { $link float-blas-matrix } }
     { { $link double-blas-matrix } }
-    { { $link float-complex-blas-matrix } }
-    { { $link double-complex-blas-matrix } }
+    { { $link complex-float-blas-matrix } }
+    { { $link complex-double-blas-matrix } }
 }
 "All of these subclasses share the same tuple layout:"
 { $list
@@ -104,14 +104,14 @@ HELP: float-blas-matrix
 { $class-description "A matrix of single-precision floating-point values. For details on the tuple layout, see " { $link blas-matrix-base } "." } ;
 HELP: double-blas-matrix
 { $class-description "A matrix of double-precision floating-point values. For details on the tuple layout, see " { $link blas-matrix-base } "." } ;
-HELP: float-complex-blas-matrix
+HELP: complex-float-blas-matrix
 { $class-description "A matrix of single-precision floating-point complex values. Complex values are stored in memory as two consecutive float values, real part then imaginary part. For details on the tuple layout, see " { $link blas-matrix-base } "." } ;
-HELP: double-complex-blas-matrix
+HELP: complex-double-blas-matrix
 { $class-description "A matrix of double-precision floating-point complex values. Complex values are stored in memory as two consecutive float values, real part then imaginary part. For details on the tuple layout, see " { $link blas-matrix-base } "." } ;
 
 {
-    float-blas-matrix double-blas-matrix float-complex-blas-matrix double-complex-blas-matrix
-    float-blas-vector double-blas-vector float-complex-blas-vector double-complex-blas-vector
+    float-blas-matrix double-blas-matrix complex-float-blas-matrix complex-double-blas-matrix
+    float-blas-vector double-blas-vector complex-float-blas-vector complex-double-blas-vector
 } related-words
 
 HELP: Mwidth
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ HELP: cmatrix{
     { 0.0 0.0          -1.0 3.0           }
     { 0.0 0.0           0.0 C{ 0.0 -1.0 } }
 } "> }
-{ $description "Construct a literal " { $link float-complex-blas-matrix } ". Note that although BLAS matrices are stored in column-major order, the literal is specified in row-major order." } ;
+{ $description "Construct a literal " { $link complex-float-blas-matrix } ". Note that although BLAS matrices are stored in column-major order, the literal is specified in row-major order." } ;
 
 HELP: zmatrix{
 { $syntax <" zmatrix{
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ HELP: zmatrix{
     { 0.0 0.0          -1.0 3.0           }
     { 0.0 0.0           0.0 C{ 0.0 -1.0 } }
 } "> }
-{ $description "Construct a literal " { $link double-complex-blas-matrix } ". Note that although BLAS matrices are stored in column-major order, the literal is specified in row-major order." } ;
+{ $description "Construct a literal " { $link complex-double-blas-matrix } ". Note that although BLAS matrices are stored in column-major order, the literal is specified in row-major order." } ;
 
 {
     POSTPONE: smatrix{ POSTPONE: dmatrix{
diff --git a/basis/math/blas/matrices/matrices.factor b/basis/math/blas/matrices/matrices.factor
index d9653fca6f..6a948b6fe1 100755
--- a/basis/math/blas/matrices/matrices.factor
+++ b/basis/math/blas/matrices/matrices.factor
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 USING: accessors alien alien.c-types arrays byte-arrays combinators
 combinators.short-circuit fry kernel locals macros
-math math.blas.cblas math.blas.vectors math.blas.vectors.private
+math math.blas.ffi math.blas.vectors math.blas.vectors.private
 math.complex math.functions math.order functors words
 sequences sequences.merged sequences.private shuffle
 specialized-arrays.direct.float specialized-arrays.direct.double
 specialized-arrays.float specialized-arrays.double
-parser prettyprint.backend prettyprint.custom ;
+specialized-arrays.direct.complex-float specialized-arrays.direct.complex-double
+specialized-arrays.complex-float specialized-arrays.complex-double
+parser prettyprint.backend prettyprint.custom ascii ;
 IN: math.blas.matrices
 
 TUPLE: blas-matrix-base underlying ld rows cols transpose ;
@@ -25,7 +27,7 @@ GENERIC: n*M.M+n*M! ( alpha A B beta C -- C=alpha*A.B+beta*C )
 <PRIVATE
 
 : (blas-transpose) ( matrix -- integer )
-    transpose>> [ CblasTrans ] [ CblasNoTrans ] if ;
+    transpose>> [ "T" ] [ "N" ] if ;
 
 GENERIC: (blas-matrix-like) ( data ld rows cols transpose exemplar -- matrix )
 
@@ -38,19 +40,18 @@ GENERIC: (blas-matrix-like) ( data ld rows cols transpose exemplar -- matrix )
     unless ;
 
 :: (prepare-gemv)
-    ( alpha A x beta y >c-arg -- order A-trans m n alpha A-data A-ld x-data x-inc beta y-data y-inc
-                                 y )
+    ( alpha A x beta y -- A-trans m n alpha A-data A-ld x-data x-inc beta y-data y-inc
+                          y )
     A x y (validate-gemv)
-    CblasColMajor
     A (blas-transpose)
     A rows>>
     A cols>>
-    alpha >c-arg call
+    alpha
     A underlying>>
     A ld>>
     x underlying>>
     x inc>>
-    beta >c-arg call
+    beta
     y underlying>>
     y inc>>
     y ; inline
@@ -64,13 +65,12 @@ GENERIC: (blas-matrix-like) ( data ld rows cols transpose exemplar -- matrix )
     unless ;
 
 :: (prepare-ger)
-    ( alpha x y A >c-arg -- order m n alpha x-data x-inc y-data y-inc A-data A-ld
-                            A )
+    ( alpha x y A -- m n alpha x-data x-inc y-data y-inc A-data A-ld
+                     A )
     x y A (validate-ger)
-    CblasColMajor
     A rows>>
     A cols>>
-    alpha >c-arg call
+    alpha
     x underlying>>
     x inc>>
     y underlying>>
@@ -89,21 +89,20 @@ GENERIC: (blas-matrix-like) ( data ld rows cols transpose exemplar -- matrix )
     unless ;
 
 :: (prepare-gemm)
-    ( alpha A B beta C >c-arg -- order A-trans B-trans m n k alpha A-data A-ld B-data B-ld beta C-data C-ld
-                                 C )
+    ( alpha A B beta C -- A-trans B-trans m n k alpha A-data A-ld B-data B-ld beta C-data C-ld
+                          C )
     A B C (validate-gemm)
-    CblasColMajor
     A (blas-transpose)
     B (blas-transpose)
     C rows>>
     C cols>>
     A Mwidth
-    alpha >c-arg call
+    alpha
     A underlying>>
     A ld>>
     B underlying>>
     B ld>>
-    beta >c-arg call
+    beta
     C underlying>>
     C ld>>
     C f >>transpose ; inline
@@ -250,16 +249,18 @@ FUNCTOR: (define-blas-matrix) ( TYPE T U C -- )
 VECTOR      IS ${TYPE}-blas-vector
 <VECTOR>    IS <${TYPE}-blas-vector>
 >ARRAY      IS >${TYPE}-array
-TYPE>ARG    IS ${TYPE}>arg
-XGEMV       IS cblas_${T}gemv
-XGEMM       IS cblas_${T}gemm
-XGERU       IS cblas_${T}ger${U}
-XGERC       IS cblas_${T}ger${C}
+XGEMV       IS ${T}GEMV
+XGEMM       IS ${T}GEMM
+XGERU       IS ${T}GER${U}
+XGERC       IS ${T}GER${C}
 
 MATRIX      DEFINES-CLASS ${TYPE}-blas-matrix
 <MATRIX>    DEFINES <${TYPE}-blas-matrix>
 >MATRIX     DEFINES >${TYPE}-blas-matrix
-XMATRIX{    DEFINES ${T}matrix{
+
+t           [ T >lower ]
+
+XMATRIX{    DEFINES ${t}matrix{
 
 WHERE
 
@@ -277,21 +278,16 @@ M: MATRIX (blas-vector-like)
     drop <VECTOR> ;
 
 : >MATRIX ( arrays -- matrix )
-    [ >ARRAY underlying>> ] (>matrix)
-    <MATRIX> ;
+    [ >ARRAY underlying>> ] (>matrix) <MATRIX> ;
 
 M: VECTOR n*M.V+n*V!
-    [ TYPE>ARG ] (prepare-gemv)
-    [ XGEMV ] dip ;
+    (prepare-gemv) [ XGEMV ] dip ;
 M: MATRIX n*M.M+n*M!
-    [ TYPE>ARG ] (prepare-gemm)
-    [ XGEMM ] dip ;
+    (prepare-gemm) [ XGEMM ] dip ;
 M: MATRIX n*V(*)V+M!
-    [ TYPE>ARG ] (prepare-ger)
-    [ XGERU ] dip ;
+    (prepare-ger) [ XGERU ] dip ;
 M: MATRIX n*V(*)Vconj+M!
-    [ TYPE>ARG ] (prepare-ger)
-    [ XGERC ] dip ;
+    (prepare-ger) [ XGERC ] dip ;
 
 : XMATRIX{ \ } [ >MATRIX ] parse-literal ; parsing
 
@@ -304,12 +300,12 @@ M: MATRIX pprint-delims
 : define-real-blas-matrix ( TYPE T -- )
     "" "" (define-blas-matrix) ;
 : define-complex-blas-matrix ( TYPE T -- )
-    "u" "c" (define-blas-matrix) ;
+    "U" "C" (define-blas-matrix) ;
 
-"float"          "s" define-real-blas-matrix
-"double"         "d" define-real-blas-matrix
-"float-complex"  "c" define-complex-blas-matrix
-"double-complex" "z" define-complex-blas-matrix
+"float"          "S" define-real-blas-matrix
+"double"         "D" define-real-blas-matrix
+"complex-float"  "C" define-complex-blas-matrix
+"complex-double" "Z" define-complex-blas-matrix
 
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