ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Forte number

A forte number is like a special code that tells us how many notes are in a musical chord or set. It's called a forte number because it helps us understand the "strength" or "loudness" of the chord.

Imagine a group of toys. Some toys are big and some are small. We can count how many toys there are altogether, but we can also group the toys based on their size. This can help us understand how many big toys there are compared to small toys.

In music, we can do something similar with chords. A chord is like a group of musical notes that sound good together. We can count how many notes are in the chord, but we can also group the notes based on their pitch or loudness. This helps us understand the "strength" or "loudness" of the chord.

The forte number tells us how many groups there are in the chord. For example, if there are two groups of notes, the forte number would be "2." This means that there are two different levels of pitch or loudness in the chord.

So, a forte number helps musicians understand the structure and sound of a chord. It's like a secret code that tells us how many groups of notes there are and how they fit together.