The Tonnetz

Posted3 months agoActive2 months ago

mci

73 points

12 comments

thetonnetz.comOtherstory

calmpositive

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20/100

Music TheoryHarmonyInteractive Tools

Key topics

Music Theory

Harmony

Interactive Tools

The Tonnetz is an interactive tool for exploring harmonic relationships between notes, sparking discussion among music enthusiasts and composers about its applications and historical context.

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Moderate engagement

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Peak period

108-120h

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01Story posted
Oct 18, 2025 at 3:30 AM EDT
3 months ago
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02First comment
Oct 18, 2025 at 3:30 AM EDT
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03Peak activity
9 comments in 108-120h
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04Latest activity
Oct 22, 2025 at 10:06 PM EDT
2 months ago
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Discussion (12 comments)

Showing 12 comments

mciAuthor

3 months ago

1 reply

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

3 months ago

1 reply

Do you have a link to the post in thatsmaths?

mitchbob

3 months ago

1 reply

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

pasteldream

2 months 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.

manbitesdog

2 months ago

1 reply

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

2 months 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

2 months ago

1 reply

"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

2 months 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

2 months ago

1 reply

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

2 months ago

> Discovered by Euler

Figures...

shannifin

2 months 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

tshaddox

2 months 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...