Lesson 101: Cadences Summary

What Is a Cadence, Anyway?

A cadence is a harmonic entity that establishes or confirms a tonal center. The chords of a cadence form a harmonic goal or are heading for a harmonic goal, a resolution.

In many melodies/ musical forms, there is a single cadence towards the end of a phrase or a section, that constitutes a high point of the form. In other melodies/ forms, there is an abundance of cadences, often with different tonal centers, with or without resolution.

Different Types of Cadences

The different cadence types are:

• authentic cadence - V7 to I
• plagal cadence - IV to I
• half cadence - a cadence ending on V7
• deceptive cadence - V7 to VIm or V7 to IIIm

Common Cadences in Jazz

• the II-V-I progression
• the I-VI-II-V type turn-around

Diatonic Versus Non- Diatonic Cadences

Examples of cadences that are diatonic by nature:

• Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7 ( C major)
• Dm7b5 - G7 - Cm(maj7) ( C harmonic minor)
• Abmaj7 - G7 - Cm(maj7) ( C harmonic minor)

• Dm7 - G7alt - Cmaj7
• Dm7 - Ab7 - G7 - Cmaj7
• Ab7 - G7 - Cm(maj7)

© 2006 Tomas Karlsson. All rights reserved.