A cadence is the chord move that ends a musical phrase. It is the punctuation of harmony: some cadences sound like a full stop, some like a comma that leaves you hanging, and one is a genuine plot twist. If you have ever felt a song arrive at a satisfying resting point, or felt it deliberately refuse to, you were hearing a cadence do its job. There are four worth knowing by name, and once you can hear them, the shape of almost any song becomes clearer.
Below is what a cadence is, the four main types with what each one sounds like, and how to spot them in a song. It builds on chord progressions and the Roman-numeral shorthand for chords, so those are handy background.
What a Cadence Is
Music moves in phrases, short musical sentences, and every phrase needs a way to end. A cadence is the specific pair of chords at that ending, and the choice of chords decides whether the phrase feels closed or open. The vocabulary uses Roman numerals for the chords built on each scale degree: I is the home chord (the tonic), IV is built on the fourth note of the scale, V on the fifth (the dominant), and vi on the sixth (the relative minor chord).
The reason cadences work is tension and release. The V chord in particular contains notes that pull strongly toward the home chord, so a move from V to I feels like a resolution. Different cadences either deliver that release, delay it, or dodge it, which is exactly what gives a song its sense of punctuation. If Roman numerals are new, our guide to reading chord symbols connects them to chord names like G and C.
The Authentic Cadence (V to I)
The authentic cadence, sometimes called a perfect cadence, moves from V to I. It is the strongest, most final-sounding ending in Western music, the musical equivalent of a period at the end of a sentence. In the key of C, that is a G chord resolving to a C chord, and you can hear the tension of the G release completely into the C.
This is the cadence that ends the vast majority of classical pieces and countless pop songs, because nothing else says "we have arrived, this is over" so clearly. The pull from V to I is the same relationship that makes the circle of fifths tick.
The Plagal Cadence (IV to I)
The plagal cadence moves from IV to I. It also lands on home and also sounds conclusive, but it gets there more gently, without the sharp pull of the V chord. This is the famous "Amen" you sing at the end of a hymn, which is why it is often called the "Amen cadence." In C, that is an F chord settling onto a C chord.
Because it is softer, the plagal cadence often appears as a warm tag after the real ending, or as the resolution in gospel and worship music, where that settled, prayerful quality fits the style. It is the calm cousin of the authentic cadence.
The Half Cadence
A half cadence ends on the V chord rather than resolving to I. Because V is full of tension, stopping there leaves the phrase sounding unfinished, like a comma or a question that expects an answer. The music has paused, not concluded, and the listener leans forward waiting for what comes next.
Half cadences are how composers keep momentum across a long stretch. A verse might end on a half cadence so the chorus feels like the answer, the release that the paused V was promising. It is punctuation that opens a door instead of closing one.
The Deceptive Cadence
The deceptive cadence, also called an interrupted cadence, sets up the strong V-to-I resolution and then swerves. Instead of landing on I, it lands on vi, the relative minor chord. In C, the ear expects G to resolve to C, but it goes to A minor instead. The effect is a small surprise: the release you were braced for does not come, and the music has to keep going.
Composers use it to avoid ending too soon, to extend a phrase, or to add a wistful turn, since vi is a minor chord where you expected a bright major one. It is the plot twist of cadences: the same setup as an authentic cadence, a different, unexpected destination.
How to Spot a Cadence
To find cadences in a song, listen for where the music seems to breathe, the ends of phrases, then check the two chords at that point:
- Lands firmly on the home chord from V? Authentic. It sounds done.
- Lands on home from IV with a gentle, hymn-like feel? Plagal.
- Stops on a tense chord that wants to continue? Half cadence.
- Sets up the ending but lands somewhere minor and unexpected? Deceptive.
This is really an ear-training task, and it pairs with knowing a song's key and its chords. If you are working a song out by ear, our guides to finding the key and chord inversions give you the pieces the cadences are built from.
Final Thoughts
Cadences are how music punctuates itself. Four of them cover almost everything you will meet: the authentic (a period), the plagal (a gentle Amen), the half (a comma), and the deceptive (a twist). Learn to hear the difference between an ending that closes and one that leaves the door open, and you will start to hear the structure of songs, not just their surface.
When you transcribe a song with a tool like Songscription, the chords it lays out at the ends of phrases are exactly where these cadences live, so a transcription is a great way to confirm by eye what your ear suspected. For the rest of the harmony vocabulary, keep going with the music notation glossary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cadence in music?
A cadence is the chord move that ends a musical phrase, the harmonic equivalent of punctuation. Just as a sentence can end with a period, a comma, or a question mark, a phrase of music can end with a chord move that sounds final, one that sounds paused, or one that surprises you. The four main cadences are the authentic (V to I), plagal (IV to I), half (ending on V), and deceptive (V to vi).
What are the four types of cadences?
The authentic cadence moves from the V chord to the I chord and sounds fully resolved, like a period. The plagal cadence moves from IV to I, the gentle "Amen" ending. The half cadence pauses on the V chord, leaving the phrase open like a comma. The deceptive cadence sets up the V-to-I resolution but lands on the vi chord instead, a surprise that keeps the music going.
What is the difference between an authentic and a plagal cadence?
Both end on the home chord (I) and both sound conclusive, but they get there from different places. An authentic cadence approaches from V, the chord with the strongest pull home, so it sounds decisive and final. A plagal cadence approaches from IV, which is softer and less tense, giving the calm, settled "Amen" sound heard at the end of many hymns.
