What is a cadence in music?

A cadence is how a part of a song ends. It gives the feeling that the music has gotten to a resting place or point where it can stop for a bit. This makes it easier for someone listening to know where one musical idea finishes before the next one begins.

How cadences work

Think about how we talk to each other. When we want to take a break in what we’re saying, we might pause for a moment. We do this so the person listening understands the different parts of what we’re telling them. Cadences do the same thing in music. They’re like resting points that separate musical ideas.

When a cadence happens, it can feel like the music has arrived somewhere, even for just a second. After that, the song can continue on with new melodies and ideas. So cadences help organize a piece of music. They make the structure of the song more clear, which helps the listener follow along with what’s happening.

The main types of cadences

There are a few different kinds of cadences that are used often in music. Each one has a certain sound and feeling to it.

Authentic cadences

An authentic cadence is a type of cadence that sounds very complete and finished. It’s made by going from the chord based on the 5th note of a key to the chord based on the 1st note. This 5 to 1 movement (written as V-I) has a strong sound of ending and resolution.

There are two main types of authentic cadences:

• Perfect Authentic Cadence (PAC): The melody ends on the 1st note of the key when the final I chord plays. This makes it sound extra settled and done.
• Imperfect Authentic Cadence (IAC): The melody ends on a different note in the I chord, not the 1st note of the key. It still sounds finished but not quite as strongly as a PAC.

Plagal cadences

A plagal cadence moves from the chord based on the 4th note of a key to the chord based on the 1st note (IV-I). This is also called the “Amen” cadence because it sounds like the “Amen” at the end of a lot of hymns. Even though it ends on the I chord, the plagal cadence doesn’t sound quite as final and complete as an authentic cadence.

Half cadences

A half cadence is a type of cadence that sounds unfinished or like a musical question. Instead of ending on the I chord, it ends on the V chord. This makes it feel like the music needs to continue on after the cadence to get to a more final resting place. Half cadences are often used in the middle of musical phrases or sections.

Deceptive cadences

A deceptive cadence is a type of cadence that tricks your ear. It starts like it’s going to be an authentic cadence, moving from V to I, but then it goes somewhere surprising instead. Often, this means going from the V chord to the vi chord. This sudden change gives an unexpected and unfinished feeling, making the music more interesting and keeping the listener on their toes.

Why cadences matter

Cadences are really important for a few big reasons:

1. They provide structure. Cadences help divide a piece of music into different parts, like sentences in a story. This makes the music feel organized.
2. They create interest. By using different types of cadences, a song can avoid sounding too repetitive or predictable. Mixing expected and unexpected cadences keeps things exciting for the listener.
3. They convey emotions. Different cadences can make you feel different things. An authentic cadence might make the music sound happy and complete, while a half cadence could create a feeling of suspense.
4. They establish the key. The chords used in cadences, especially authentic cadences, help your ear understand what key the music is in.

Hearing cadences in real music

You can find cadences in pretty much any kind of music, from classical to pop to jazz. Whenever a musical phrase or section sounds like it’s ending or stopping, there’s probably a cadence happening.

One great way to get better at hearing cadences is to listen for the ends of musical ideas in your favorite songs. Try to notice if the ending sounds finished or unfinished, expected or surprising. The more you pay attention to these musical road signs, the more you’ll understand how the song is put together.

Cadences and musical form

Cadences don’t just matter for small-scale musical ideas. They also help define the overall form of a piece of music. Different sections of a song might end with certain kinds of cadences.

For example, let’s say we’re listening to a piece of music with an A section and a B section. The A section might end with a half cadence, making it feel incomplete. Then the B section could end with an authentic cadence to give a sense of closure. This pattern of tension and release created by the cadences helps the listener understand the shape of the whole song.

Cadences in classical music forms

In classical music, there are a lot of standard musical forms that use cadences in specific ways. Here are a few examples:

• Sonata form: This form has three main sections – exposition, development, and recapitulation. The exposition usually ends with a strong cadence in a new key, the development is more adventurous with its cadences, and the recapitulation brings back the original key and ends with a definitive authentic cadence.
• Rondo form: In a rondo, there’s a main section (A) that keeps coming back, alternating with other sections (B, C, etc.). The A section typically ends with a strong cadence in the home key, while the other sections can end with cadences in different keys.
• Theme and variations: This form starts with a main musical idea that then gets repeated in different variations. The main theme will often end with a clear cadence, and then each variation plays with that cadence in creative ways.