Your obscure reference of the day
After skimming this page, I’ve decided that the circle of fifths is the Smith chart of music.
If you’re a regular reader on this site and that comparison made sense to you, then your name is probably either Stephen Granade or John Wilson. Let me know if I missed anyone. 
September 25th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Hah, that did make sense to me.
September 25th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Also, I have a fascinating book on nomography (words I doubt anyone else would have expected to see strung together) that I rescued from the discard pile of Duke’s physics library. It’s all about creating charts to solve equations, though it never specifically mentions the Smith chart.
September 25th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I got the reference. Had to do those in microwaves lab.
September 25th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Cut me a little slack. I definitely got the reference after way too many theory classes in music growing up.
September 26th, 2008 at 12:02 am
First, start with my friends who read this web site. I mean, half of you have already commented on this post.
I know I have plenty of friends that have music theory background (a few with SERIOUS music theory background) who must know what a circle of fifths is (much better than I do).
Then, I figured I have at least a few friends who know what a Smith chart is and what it’s used for. That’s a small but nonzero number, certainly.
But, it’s the overlap that’s the kicker. Those circles don’t have much intersection.
Then, how many of those people buy into my argument that a Smith chart and a circle of fifths are analogous devices?
I figured I was forgetting some people… but I still say not very many.