Consider this a non affiliated review of sorts. I bought this with my own money.
Yes it’s a circle of 5ths wheel! I got a discount on it because I also bought it with a jump to conclusions mat.
Ok enough silliness the reason why I’m here is because the little booklet that comes with this thing has the most matter of fact approach to explaining arpeggios, chords and chord progressions I’ve ever seen. I read half of it tonight but for me it’s REALLY good.
Specifically it breaks down the difference between the types of chords in a really easy to understand way.
I find most music theory to be overly explained in a way that makes no sense. This is straight up easy it points out the simple differences between chord types and relates it back to the wheel.
Yes the wheel is a crutch, but it’s also a giant flash card. It’s all how you use it.
Anyway it’s pretty cheap so give it a look. This isn’t an affiliate link: Amazon.com
I have a bunch of different Circle of 4ths/5ths, some apps, some physical. This one by Noisy Clan is easily the best. I bought mine direct from the Noisy Clan developer in Scotland.
Most modern music theory was developed in the context of the piano, and makes the most sense explained in that context. Trying to grok it on stringed instruments is less easy to visualize than with a piano keyboard.
But honestly it goes back much farther; in fact it goes back at minimum to Pythagoras, who was the first to document the basic intervals (octave, fifth, and fourth at minimum). And he was doing it all on a stringed instrument.
As soon as you want to involve the underlying physics (wavelength, frequency, ratios) when explaining “music theory”, a string is much more helpful than, say, a flute or a drum skin.
Oh yeah man, the theory behind different fingerings for wind instruments… thanks but I will take a simple string instead. Just one is fine for my smoothbrain.
When I am on the Bass book at $29.99 , does that include the circle of 5th as well? If I click on the guitar book , the circle is definitely included. I see the Bass bundle for $45? Which did you purchase?
Say we’re at rehearsal and the guitarist / singer says this song is in D minor. I look at the wheel and it gives me the root note of D to chug along on.
Given the sheer number of theory tools available, confirming that a physical wheel like the Noisy Clan model surpasses digital apps highlights its real-world usability for quick key transposition and chord analysis.
The bigger joke would be if the guitarist knew music theory. They’d also have to turn their amp down long enough to tell you what key they were playing in
That’s where you’re wrong my friend. One of our guitarists knows ALL the theory (Modes etc). However he does not currently posses the ability to play in time
Nicely played!
