The Tonnetz

73•mci•3mo ago

Comments

mci•3mo ago

A recent blog post on thatsmaths.com was about Tonenetz, a diagram of harmonic relationships of notes. Tonenetz means 'tone network' in German :-)

gus_massa•3mo ago

Do you have a link to the post in thatsmaths?

mitchbob•3mo ago

https://thatsmaths.com/2025/10/16/music-and-maths-are-inextr...

pasteldream•3mo ago

> the defects of this tuning method became evident and the more flexible “well-tempered” tuning scheme was devised. This ensures that the ratio of pitch between every two adjacent notes is precisely the same.

The author seems to have confused well-temperament and equal temperament.

It is also odd that he calls just intonation a “simplification” of Pythagorean tuning.

tshaddox•3mo ago

I first became aware of this concept many years on Gary Garrett's blog, where he primarily refers to it as "the lattice." His introduction to the concept gives a brief history:

https://www.garygarrett.me/?p=342

More introduction to the lattice:

https://www.garygarrett.me/?p=995

https://www.garygarrett.me/?p=1632

https://www.garygarrett.me/?p=1696

Some comparison audio between equal temperament and just intonation:

https://www.garygarrett.me/?p=1812

Some songs with lattice animations:

https://www.garygarrett.me/?p=103

https://www.garygarrett.me/?p=1253

I also like this book which Gary recommends, although it's very challenging and I never made it all the way through:

https://www.amazon.com/Harmonic-Experience-Harmony-Natural-E...

manbitesdog•3mo ago

As an indie music composer, this kind of unusual tone arrangement is great for creativity, thanks! I noticed that the same triangle will play different chords from time to time, is that on purpose?

tshaddox•3mo ago

I only listened briefly on laptop speakers, but it did sound like sometimes the same note of a chord would play at a different octave, almost like it was trying to do voice leading from the previously played chord.

kazinator•3mo ago

"Almost Tonnetz" fail:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stradella_bass_system

Accordion buttons have a row of roots with major thirds off on a diagonal, but in a shifted way that you don't have minor thirds on the opposite diagonal. E.g. there is no CEG triangle.

If the layout did that, you could hit minor and major triads chords by pressing triangles on the first two rows.

pasteldream•3mo ago

Why did they make it like that? I assume accordion makers were aware of the convenience of the harmonic table layout, and had good reasons for choosing something else.

kazinator•3mo ago

For the background understanding (minus interactive play) the Wikipedia page is a better starter:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonnetz

Also shows the Tonnetz in the configuration where fifths are horizontal.

npilk•3mo ago

> Discovered by Euler

Figures...

shannifin•3mo ago

Learned about the tonnetz (among other models) from the book "Audacious Euphony"... Challenging (and unfortunately too expensive now), but fascinating stuff...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/019977269X

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