Circle of fifths

[Top Spin]

Can anyone suggest a good way for me to construct a figure similar to
the one shown here:

http://cnx.rice.edu/content/m10865/latest/

?

Especially how to get the 3 labels to align inside each wedge.

Thanks

 

[Neteng]

If it has to be to scale, i would suggest autocad. I've always found Visio
lacking when you need exact scaling of geometric objects.

 

[Top Spin]

If it has to be to scale, i would suggest autocad. I've always found Visio
lacking when you need exact scaling of geometric objects.

Autocad? It's a circle of fifths illustration, not the plans for the
space shuttle. I just want it to be visually appealing.

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

Since it is a static image, what about just ctting and pasting the image?

John... Visio MVP

Need stencils or ideas? http://www.mvps.org/visio/3rdparty.htm
Need VBA examples? http://www.mvps.org/visio/VBA.htm
Common Visio Questions http://www.mvps.org/visio/common_questions.htm

 

[Top Spin]

Since it is a static image, what about just ctting and pasting the image?

Not sure what you mean. Cut and paste from what?

There are a lot of circle of fifths images available, but I would like
to create one for my purposes so I can fiddle with the size of the
fonts, the shape, and the arrangement, plus adding callouts.

I found the pie chart and pie slice objects. They are disappointing.
The pie chart seemed like a good candidate, but it only allows 10
slices. The circle of fifths needs 12.

I also tried setting the number of slices to "1", but the minimum is
"2". Sheesh.

The pie slice seemed like a good candidate, especially when I
discovered the Help item for creating a pie chart with an emphasized
slice. However, the Slice object does not allow me to specify the
percentage directly, as far as I can tell. I need it to be 8 1/3 % or
30 degrees (1/12th).

And the instructions seem to be wrong anyway.

Is there no object for a wedge of a circle?

Or a way to create intersecting lines at 30 degrees so I can use Shape
| Operations | Fragment to create a scalable wedge of 30 degrees?

The only solution I have come up with so far is to create a 2-slice
pie, set one slice to 8 1/3% and the other to 0. That gives me one
wesge. Then replicate it 12 times. What a pain.

Thanks

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

Actually, I should be awake before I answer. The cirlce of Fifths is similar
to a scale in that there is not just one version.

Since there are multiple colours, the solution would have to be a grouped
shape. The background shape would be the yellow circle with the pie slices.
The major keys would be seperate shapes and their X and Y locations would be
based on the relative position around the circle. same for the minor keys
and the key signatures.

I'm not sure of an easy way to create the key signatures. They can be
created with all possibilities and have the various flats and sharps hidden.
So I guess the first thing to tackle is the key signature, replicate it
twelve times and adjust it for each position.

An alternate method would be to write VBA code to create the appropriate key
signatures and drop them in the appropriate places.

John... Visio MVP

Need stencils or ideas? http://www.mvps.org/visio/3rdparty.htm
Need VBA examples? http://www.mvps.org/visio/VBA.htm
Common Visio Questions http://www.mvps.org/visio/common_questions.htm

 

[Top Spin]

Can anyone suggest a good way for me to construct a figure similar to
the one shown here:

http://cnx.rice.edu/content/m10865/latest/

?

Especially how to get the 3 labels to align inside each wedge.

Thanks

Just in case anyone cares, I found something that seems to work. It's
a pain in the nexk, but it works.

1. Drag one vertical and one horizontal alignment guide near the
middle of the page.

2. Drag a circle onto the page and align the center with the cross
hairs of the guides.

3. Using the line tool, draw a horizontal and a vertical diameter so
that they snap and glue to the cross hairs and the circumference of
the circle.

4. Select the three objects and Group (Ctrl+Shift+G).

5. Select the group object and using the Properties window, set the
rotate angle to 30 degrees.

6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 twice.

I tried to rotate the lines by 30, 60, 90, ... degrees, but I couldn't
get them to snap to the center.

This is a pain, but I now have a 12-wedge circle.

Cheers

 

[Top Spin]

Actually, I should be awake before I answer. The cirlce of Fifths is similar
to a scale in that there is not just one version.

Since there are multiple colours, the solution would have to be a grouped
shape. The background shape would be the yellow circle with the pie slices.
The major keys would be seperate shapes and their X and Y locations would be
based on the relative position around the circle. same for the minor keys
and the key signatures.

Yes, something like that.

I'm not sure of an easy way to create the key signatures. They can be
created with all possibilities and have the various flats and sharps hidden.
So I guess the first thing to tackle is the key signature, replicate it
twelve times and adjust it for each position.

I can generate the key signatures easily. I am using a music notation
program called Mozart. Excellent program.

An alternate method would be to write VBA code to create the appropriate key
signatures and drop them in the appropriate places.

Yikes. Way overkill. I just want a 12-wedge circle with some text in
each wedge or around the perimeter (circumference).

I was just astounded that Visio, which has all manner of complex and
powerful obejcts, does not have the ability to segment an object as
naturally segmentable as a circle.

Anyway, I think I have a workable solution. See my other reply.

Thanks for the suggestions.