A quick search of the forum archives shows that it was posted here about 5 years back, but I seem to have missed it back then, so I thought I'd post it again, in case others missed it (and for all the newer members). If you haven't yet spent some time with the circle of fifths, then here's a great opportunity to do so!
With a little imagination, it can also be used to see the "natural" (i.e., unbent) notes and scales available on any key harp.
Last Edited by timeistight on Mar 05, 2015 1:23 PM
"With a little imagination, it can also be used to see the "natural" (i.e., unbent) notes and scales available on any key harp. "
HarpNinja (including the new diatonic version) more or less does what timeistight mentions, using the interactive cof to populate chord buttons on the harmonica view which you can then use to quickly see where the chord notes lie for the selected key/tuning.
I'm always open to feedback to make it better too!
The iOS version of HarpNinja diatonic is currently waiting for review with Apple. Feedback from iPhone 6+ beta testers was good.
Unfortunately Apple makes you go through this convoluted review process to get onto their totally uncurated and gamed appstore, whereas Google just lets you deploy straight away.
I'll keep my eye out for it on the app store. Do post here again when it gets approval. Apple is smiley face Facism. You do it there way - or hit the highway. The digital trains do mostly run on time though. ----------
@komoso --- at the end of the Harpninja video when you click on key of A 1st/ionian and then key of E 1st/ionian, the notes in the their scales show Ab,Db,Gb etc. These should be G#,C#,F# etc. These keys have no flats. What's up with that?
@dted Good observation dted. You win the "Watch the video" award;-)
That's actually an older version of HarpNinja and the sharp/flat notation to conform with standard music theory was fixed after that. I should redo the videos though!
Personally I use the intervals approach rather than focus on key sig enharmonic sharps/flats so much though.
Actually it does have harmonic minor already. 16 scales currently, which is only a small sample but usually the most common ones.
I can expand these a bit easier now I've implemented a new UI that has a proper scroll control.
Chords you are right, currently only 8 and mainly triad based. It's on my todo list to add more, as well as a chord type lock function for the chord buttons.
What scales/chords would you think would be a useful addition?
It's on my todo list to enhance the cof a little more and adding the sharps as http://www.randscullard.com/CircleOfFifths/ has done in his key list is one option to fully bring it in line with standard music theory.
I've got some ideas to expand the visualisations of how key, relative minors, and modes interact but that's still doodling stage.
@komosa If you could make your circle of fifths function exactly like randscullard.com that would be perfect.
i wonder why Randscullard doesn't have his circle on IOS or android. The only similar app for IOS is Circle Theory by Artsiness--good but harder to read on small screen.
Can you make the notes in the circle light up when you play the note? (just like they light up in your harp layout)? That would be the ultimate tool. Why?---
---because I would use the circle for saxophone practice more than for harp. The microphone shouldn't care what instrument it is.
For seventh chord I would start with the diatonic sevenths for majors and then you could get all the sevenths for the modes from there. The next I would do the sevenths for the harmonic minor scale. As far as more scales I would check out Jamie Aebersold. ----------
@dted "Can you make the notes in the circle light up when you play the note? (just like they light up in your harp layout)? That would be the ultimate tool. Why?---"
Yeah, I can do that without too much work.
I wonder if it would be a useful took for musicians in general with a few more tweaks?
>>i wonder why Randscullard doesn't have his circle on IOS or android.
His works on mobile already, in a browser. It's just standard html/javascript. I find it a little clunky to use to be honest, as the modes don't switch automatically to the correct relative key and you can't work the circle directly.
@Diggsblues kk. I have JA's Jazz Handbook, great stuff.
The trick for me is to make this as simple as possible so it's easy for beginners to understand but also useful for experienced musicians.
I could easily add a setting option to turn auto mode/key switching off.
I think it's important to switch to the relative mode key, at least for beginner harmonica players & those new to music theory, as it makes it easier to visualize what's happening.
I think the parallel modes are much more useful than relative modes. Knowing that C Dorian has the same notes as Bb Ionian isn't as useful as knowing that C Dorian has flattened third and seventh as compared to the C major scale. ---------- "You can't just copy somebody. If you like someone's work, the important thing is to be exposed to everything that person has been exposed to."
Last Edited by timeistight on Mar 10, 2015 7:12 PM
"But you can see that easily just by switching scale while keeping the key the same."
That's cool.
I wasn't commenting about your app, just about different ways of concepyualizing modes.
I haven't used your app.
---------- "You can't just copy somebody. If you like someone's work, the important thing is to be exposed to everything that person has been exposed to."
Last Edited by timeistight on Mar 10, 2015 10:42 PM
