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14.3.1: Cadence Review

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    258562
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    Review of Previously Covered Cadences

    Three basic cadences were previously covered in detail. However, there are additional cadences we might hear at the ends of phrases. This is a review of the previously covered cadences.

    Inconclusive

    Half Cadence

    The inconclusive cadence that was covered in 9: Basic Cadences is the half cadence (HC). 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
    • Sounds like it still needs to resolve

    Conclusive

    Imperfect Authentic Cadence

    One conclusive cadence is the imperfect authentic cadence (IAC). If a cadence contains the leading tone of the key in the first chord (or if it is a melody, it implies this chord) and the second chord is a tonic chord, but it does not follow the very specific rules of the perfect authentic cadence, it is considered an imperfect authentic cadence. In short, in order to be perfect, it has to follow certain guidelines. Anything that is even slightly different than those specific guidelines is going to be imperfect.

    • First chord contains the leading tone of the key
    • I is the second chord
    • No requirements for note placement or inversion

    Perfect Authentic Cadence

    The most conclusive of all cadences is the perfect authentic cadence (PAC). Our conclusive cadences sound final because the first chord contains the leading tone of the key (or if it is a melody, it implies this chord) and it resolves to the tonic of the key in the second chord. In order to be considered a perfect authentic cadence, the progression must follow specific rules:

    • Root position V is the first chord
    • Root position I is the second chord (on a strong beat!)
    • Do is in the soprano voice

    This page titled 14.3.1: Cadence Review is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lauren C. Sharkey.