Cadences
Definition
Cadences are musical phrases or progressions that mark the end or pause in music. They provide closure and help establish tonality.
Analogy
Imagine cadences as punctuation marks in music. Just like how periods, question marks, and exclamation points indicate different types of pauses or endings in writing, cadences do the same in music.
Related terms
Perfect Cadence: A perfect cadence is one of the most common types of cadences that creates a strong sense of resolution by ending on the tonic (I) chord.
Plagal Cadence: A plagal cadence is often referred to as the "Amen" cadence because it's commonly used at the end of hymns. It involves moving from subdominant (IV) to tonic (I) chords.
Deceptive Cadence: A deceptive cadence surprises listeners by not resolving to the expected tonic (I) chord. Instead, it resolves to a different chord, often the submediant (vi).
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