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9.3.3: Half Cadence

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    258520
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    Composition of the Half Cadencehalf cadence, I-V

    The inconclusive cadence in this group of basic cadences is the half cadence. The half cadence might feel or sound backwards from our conclusive cadences. For this cadence, the requirement is that it ends with a dominant chord (V). The chord that precedes it can be any chord.

    • First chord can be anything
    • Second chord is the V chord
    • Progressive - sounds unfinished

    The Sound of the HC

    The half cadence sounds like it is still progressing somewhere else. The first chord can be any chord, but we often hear the tonic chord. The second chord will be the dominant chord and will have a strong pull to want to resolve. It is inconclusive because it is unfinished.

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    This page titled 9.3.3: Half Cadence is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lauren C. Sharkey.

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