ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Permutation (music)

When we talk about permutation in music, we are talking about rearranging the order of the notes in a melody or a chord progression.

Let's say you have a simple melody that goes like this: C-D-E-F-G. This is one way to play the melody, and it sounds a certain way.

But what if you wanted to change things up a bit? You could take those same five notes and play them in a different order, like this: F-D-C-E-G. This is another way to play the same melody, but now it has a different sound and feel to it.

This is what permutation is all about - taking the same notes and playing them in a different order to create a new and unique sound. It's like taking the letters of your name and rearranging them to make a new word or phrase.

Musicians use permutation all the time in their compositions, whether it's within a single melody or across an entire piece of music. By playing around with the order of the notes, they can create new melodies and harmonies that sound fresh and exciting.

So, in summary, permutation in music is all about rearranging the order of the notes in a melody or chord progression to create new and unique sounds.