Rock & Roll 101 > Definitions

Musical Definitions

Authentic Cadence
This is also known as a closed or standard cadence. It refers to the V chord to the I chord (or the IV - V - I). The dominant seventh (V7) can replace the dominant chord.
Cadence
A group of chords that create a sense of resolution. A common example is the 'Amen' sung at the end of hymns in a church service. Examples of cadences are the authentic cadence, the half cadence, the plagal cadence, the interrupted cadence, the inverted cadence and the upper leading-tone cadence.
Half Cadence
This cadence sounds incomplete, since it ends on the five chord (V).
Interrupted Cadence
This cadence is also referred to as the deceptive cadence. It is a five chord to any other chord. The feeling of this cadence is that the music will resolve to the one chord (I) at any moment but does not.
Plagal Cadence
This cadence is also known as the 'Amen' candence (IV - I).