Aural Workshop Cadences

We know that music is divided up into bars and you have a certain number of bars in each phrase. Phrasing is the thing that helps music 'breathe'. At the end of each phrase we have what is called a cadence - normally the final 2 notes of each phrase.

Below you will find links to over 40 different ear training cadence tests. Each of these tests contains 10 questions and at the end of each test you will be given a mark and a percentage. Feel free to repeat each of the ear training tests as many times as you wish.

In this section, you will be tested on all four main cadences- perfect, plagal, imperfect and interrupted. The questions are selected at random and can be in any key. In each of the recorded examples, you will be given the root chord before the cadence is played.

For more information about 7th Chords please click HERE

hint:

To distinguish between the cadences try and think in the following terms:

1. If the first chord is chord V then we know that the cadence will either be perfect (will move back to chord I) or interrupted (will move elsewhere - usually minor).

2. If the first chord is not chord V then we know the cadence will either be plagal (ends on the root) or imperfect (will end of chord V).

Use the following table and notes to help you recognise the cadence:

	CADENCE	HINT
	Perfect	This is the most final sounding cadence and is often used at the end of a piece of music. It moves from chord V to chord I.
	Plagal	This also has a final feel, but not as final as the perfect cadence. It is sometimes referred to as the 'Amen' cadence because it is used for the Amen at the end of prayers within a mass. It moves from chord IV to chord I.
	Imperfect	This cadence sounds incomplete because it does not finish on the tonic.There is a stong unfinished urge and a desire to move to the tonic chord after an imperfect cadence. It moves from any chord to chord V.
	Interrupted	This is also known as the 'surprise' cadence. It sounds incomplete and often ends on a minor chord instead of major. It moves from chord V to any other.