SAMPLED

Music theory basics · updated 2026-08-16

CADENCE

A harmonic full stop. Authentic, plagal, half and deceptive cadences are the standard ways a phrase resolves or refuses to.

Photograph of a printed score of Mozart's Rondo alla Turca open on a music desk, showing staves, key signature and note heads — the written notation this section defines.
Music theory basics — Photograph of a printed score of Mozart's Rondo alla Turca open on a music desk, showing staves, key signature and note heads — the written notation this section defines.

Photo: Music Sheet, Mozart's Alla Turca (opens in a new tab) by Schiller12 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

Key takeaways

  • A harmonic full stop.
  • Authentic, plagal, half and deceptive cadences are the standard ways a phrase resolves or refuses to.
  • Authentic (V–I) closes, plagal (IV–I) settles gently, deceptive (V–vi) withholds resolution, and half cadences leave the phrase hanging on V.
  • Ending a pre-chorus on V instead of I is the standard way to make a chorus feel inevitable when it lands.
  • Watch out: resolving every phrase fully.

Quick checklist

  • Can you define cadence in one sentence without looking?
  • Can you point at cadence in a real session, mix or contract?
  • Have you tried the practical move above at least once?
  • Would you catch the common mistake before it costs you a take?
  • Have you opened one of the primary sources below rather than a forum thread?

CADENCE IN DEPTH

A cadence is a harmonic punctuation mark — the two or three chords that tell a listener a phrase is ending and how firmly. Authentic (V–I) closes, plagal (IV–I) settles gently, deceptive (V–vi) withholds resolution, and half cadences leave the phrase hanging on V.

How it works in practice

Ending a pre-chorus on V instead of I is the standard way to make a chorus feel inevitable when it lands.

The mistake people make

Resolving every phrase fully. A song that answers its own question every eight bars gives the listener no reason to stay.

WHERE CADENCE SITS

Cadence belongs to music theory basics in the Sampled music glossary. The vocabulary you need before anyone can explain a chart, a chord chart, or a session to you.

TEST YOURSELF

0/3 answered · 0 correct

3 quick questions on cadence. Answers are marked instantly — nothing is sent anywhere.

  1. 1. Which statement best describes cadence?

  2. 2. What is the mistake people most often make with cadence?

  3. 3. In practice, which of these applies to cadence?

Ready for the full thing? Take the 25-question terminology test and get a certificate with your name and score.

SOURCES AND CITATIONS

Free, primary references for cadence — standards bodies, manufacturers, government offices and university course material. Each one lists the line of this entry it backs up.

  • Open Music Theory — cadences (opens in a new tab)

    Open textbook · Open Music Theory

    “A harmonic full stop.”— the claim this source supports

    Why it counts: An openly licensed university textbook, so the definition can be checked against a citable academic source.

  • musictheory.net lessons (opens in a new tab)

    Free interactive lessons · musictheory.net

    “Authentic, plagal, half and deceptive cadences are the standard ways a phrase resolves or refuses to.”— the claim this source supports

    Why it counts: Short interactive drills that let you test the concept immediately rather than only read about it.

RELATED TERMS IN MUSIC THEORY BASICS

Back to the full music glossary or read our latest articles.