Cadences
The formulas that end a phrase, authentic, plagal, half and deceptive, and the effect each one creates.
Applied
Content under musical review. It may contain inaccuracies.
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The formulas that end a phrase, authentic, plagal, half and deceptive, and the effect each one creates.
Applied
A cadence is how a musical phrase ends. It works like punctuation in writing: some endings are a full stop, some a comma, some a question. Cadences are defined by their last two chords, and each combination has a recognisable effect.
The chords you'll combine, in C major:
Play V7 then I: full stop. Play V7 then vi: surprise. Play IV then I: a gentle close. End on V7: an open question.
| Cadence | Chords | In C major | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authentic | V – I | G7 → C | firm ending |
| Plagal | IV – I | F → C | soft ending, "amen" |
| Half | anything – V | Dm → G | suspended, a question |
| Deceptive | V – vi | G7 → Am | ending avoided, surprise |
In the authentic cadence, the leading tone (B) rises to the tonic and the chord's seventh (F) falls to E:
String 6, Fret 1: F2 · ♭7 · Seventh
Hear each cadence at the end of a four-chord phrase:
Authentic Plagal Half DeceptiveThe harmony lab also lists the cadences of every key:
Cadences in C majorCadences shape a song's form:
When you improvise, aim for the tonic at authentic cadences and for a note of the V chord at half cadences: your phrase will follow the harmony's punctuation.
In A minor the authentic cadence is E7 → Am; it needs harmonic minor's G♯. The deceptive cadence is E7 → F (V – VI). A final cadence onto a major tonic in a minor piece (E7 → A) is called a Picardy third.
Authentic cadence in A minorKostka and Payne split the authentic cadence into perfect (V and I in root position, with the tonic in the top voice of the final chord) and imperfect (any other arrangement, for instance with the third on top or an inverted chord). The perfect authentic cadence sounds the most conclusive.
Minor keys also have the Phrygian half cadence: iv6 – V (Dm/F → E in A minor), with the bass falling a half step from F to E. Aldwell and Schachter treat it as a characteristic variant of Baroque style.