Configurations, tessellations and tone networks

The tonnetz, which is commonly represented as a tessellation of the plane by a triangular network of tones, can also be represented as a bipartite graph of degree three with twelve vertices denoting major triads and twelve vertices denoting minor triads. We show that this Levi graph can be realized geometrically as a system of twelve points and twelve lines in R2 with the property that three points lie on each line and three lines pass through each point, in a configuration {123} of Daublebsky von Sterneck type D222. This tonnetz configuration, alongside various generalizations thereof, can be used as a new basis for the composition and analysis of music.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Mathematics and Music
Published
2026-07-24
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/17459737.2026.2678317
Primary Topic
Musicology and Musical Analysis
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Configurations, tessellations and tone networks

Jeffrey R. Boland, Lane P. Hughston
Journal of Mathematics and Music
Musicology and Musical Analysis
article

Configurations, tessellations and tone networks

Jeffrey R. Boland, Lane P. Hughston
article en

Abstract

The tonnetz, which is commonly represented as a tessellation of the plane by a triangular network of tones, can also be represented as a bipartite graph of degree three with twelve vertices denoting major triads and twelve vertices denoting minor triads. We show that this Levi graph can be realized geometrically as a system of twelve points and twelve lines in R2 with the property that three points lie on each line and three lines pass through each point, in a configuration {123} of Daublebsky von Sterneck type D222. This tonnetz configuration, alongside various generalizations thereof, can be used as a new basis for the composition and analysis of music.

Journal of Mathematics and Music
Synlab Czech (Czechia) (CZ), Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (Canada) (CA), Goldsmiths University of London (GB)
King's College London, Kuwait University
Openalex Percentile: Top 100%
Musicology and Musical Analysis
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Configurations, tessellations and tone networks — Jeffrey R. Boland, Lane P. Hughston · Journal of Mathematics and Music (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS