music theory for musicians and normal people by toby w.

rush

The Harmonic Cadences A cadence is generally considered to be the

last two chords of a phrase, section or piece.
there are four types of cadences, each with
their own specific requirements and variations.

an authentic cadence consists of a dominant function chord (v or vii) moving to tonic.

to be considered a perfect authentic cadence,
a cadence must meet all of the following criteria:

*
it must use a v chord if the cadence
(not a vii) doesn’t meet
ct ic ct ct

*
both chords must be all of those
in root position fe nt criteria, it’s fe tic fe tic
r e r n r n
pe th pe he pe he

*
the soprano must considered to
im ut im ut
au
end on the tonic be an
imperfect a a

*
the soprano must authentic
move by step cadence!
G: V I G: vii°6 I G: V64 I

a plagal cadence consists of a subdominant function chord (iv or ii) moving to tonic.
to be considered a perfect plagal cadence,
a cadence must meet all of the following criteria:

*
it must use a iv chord if the cadence
(not a ii) doesn’t meet
ct ct ct

*
both chords must be all of those e
f e l f e f
in root position
r ga criteria, it’s
r al r al
e pe ag pe ag

*
the soprano must p la considered to
end on the tonic p be an im pl im pl
imperfect

*
the soprano must plagal
keep the common tone cadence!
G: IV I G: IV6 I G: ii I6

a half cadence is any cadence that ends on the dominant chord (v).

a specific type of half cadence

is the phrygian cadence, which
must meet the following criteria:
n n

h
al
f
**
it occurs only in minor
it uses a iv chord moving to v
ph
r
yg
ia

ph
r
yg
ia

*
the soprano and bass move
by step in contrary motion

* iv6
G: I V the soprano and bass both e: V e: iv V
end on the fifth scale degree

a deceptive cadence is a cadence where the dominant chord (V) resolves to something
other than tonic... almost always the submediant chord (vi).

really, it’s the psych-out cadence, in that

ve you expect it to resolve to tonic, but it doesn’t.
i
pt
ce
e
d and, in fact, it’s more common to see this in
the middle of the phrase rather than the end...
where you might call it a “cadence-like structure”!
G: V vi

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