18.1 · Cadences & Color

How phrases end

A cadence is the last two chords of a phrase, and those two chords decide how finished the ending feels. There are four to know: authentic, plagal, half, and deceptive. Same setup phrase below, four different endings.

Four endings

The same phrase four times; only the last two chords change. The keyboard shows the voicings.

C
F
G
C

Maximum tension released straight into home. The strongest close there is; most songs end on it.

C
G
F
C

A softer landing with no dominant push. Hymns end on it, which earned it the nickname 'the amen cadence'.

C
F
C
G

The phrase stops on V and hangs there, unfinished. Verses use it to lean into the chorus.

C
F
G
Am

V promises I, and vi arrives instead: still a resting chord, but the darker one. Songwriters use it to keep a phrase going one more lap.

Game · Name the ending

1 / 5

A phrase in a random key. How did it end?

Listen first. Then answer.

Quiz

1 / 3

The strongest 'we're done' ending is…

Score 100% on every quiz and game to complete this lesson. A perfect run sticks: a later miss never undoes it.Borrowed colors →