#26 LEARN FREE MUSIC THEORY

Andrew Furmanczyk

15 May 201027:19

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe speaker gives an overview of musical cadences and their punctuation-like role, comparing perfect and plagal cadences to exclamation points and periods. He explains their chord structures and demonstrates how to properly voice lead and resolve them, walking through the steps to construct perfect and plagal cadences in keyboard style. Viewers are tasked with composing 10 perfect and 10 plagal cadences in various keys as homework to gain fluency.

Takeaways

🎵 The lesson focuses on the introduction to cadences in music theory, particularly emphasizing the perfect and plagal cadences.
💡 Cadences are likened to punctuation in language, providing structure and closure to musical phrases.
🤖 The perfect cadence (V-I) is presented as a strong, conclusive musical statement, often used to end musical sections with a sense of finality.
😊 The plagal cadence (IV-I) is associated with a more subdued, peaceful resolution, often related to church music or weddings.
🔍 The video briefly mentions imperfect and deceptive cadences but reserves detailed discussion for future lessons.
📝 Practical applications of cadences include analyzing compositions and enhancing one's compositional skills by providing clear phrase endings.
📚 The instructor provides a step-by-step guide on drawing perfect and plagal cadences, emphasizing the importance of chord tones and voice leading.
🎶 Emphasizes the importance of understanding and practicing cadences in various keys to improve musical literacy and compositional versatility.
👀 The lesson encourages active participation by assigning homework to practice writing perfect and plagal cadences in different keys.
📈 The video aims to demystify the concept of cadences, making it accessible and understandable for learners at different levels of musical knowledge.

Q & A

What are the four main types of cadences discussed in the video?
-The four main types of cadences discussed are: perfect cadence, plagal cadence, imperfect cadence, and deceptive cadence.
How are cadences similar to punctuation in language?
-Cadences are similar to punctuation in that they indicate the end of a musical phrase or section, just as periods, exclamation points, and question marks do in language.
What is the difference between a perfect and a plagal cadence?
-A perfect cadence goes from the dominant chord (V) to the tonic chord (I), while a plagal cadence goes from the subdominant chord (IV) to the tonic chord (I).
What chord progression makes up an imperfect cadence?
-An imperfect cadence goes from the tonic chord (I) to the dominant chord (V).
What makes a deceptive cadence deceptive?
-A deceptive cadence starts on the dominant chord (V) like a perfect cadence, but instead of resolving to the tonic (I), it resolves to the submediant chord (VI), deceiving the listener's expectations.
What are the three main steps to construct a cadence in keyboard style writing?
-The three main steps are: 1) Write the bass notes, 2) Add the common tone, 3) Fill in the remaining notes, either writing both above, both below, or one above and one below the common tone.
What scale degree and chord quality make up the dominant chord that is used in cadences?
-The dominant chord used in cadences is built on the fifth scale degree, and it is a major triad.
What rules should be followed when voicing the chords in a cadence?
-At least one voice should be held as a common tone or move in contrary motion to the rest to create good voice leading. The other voices should move by step as much as possible.
Where in a musical piece might you find an imperfect cadence?
-An imperfect cadence is often found in the middle of a piece, where it provides some sense of closure before the music continues onward.
What metaphor does the instructor use to describe the sound of a plagal cadence?
-The instructor compares a plagal cadence to a pleasant, smiling girl in a sundress - happy sounding but not over the top.

Outlines

00:00

😊 Introducing Cadences

The narrator introduces the concept of cadences in music theory, comparing them to punctuation marks in language. He states there are four main types - perfect, plagal, imperfect and deceptive - but will only focus on perfect and plagal in this lesson.

05:00

😃 Explaining Perfect and Plagal Cadences

The narrator further explains perfect and plagal cadences, comparing perfect cadences to exclamation marks with big, showy endings and plagal cadences to peaceful, happy endings. He also introduces the numeric representations of perfect (V-I) and plagal (IV-I) cadences.

10:02

🎹 Drawing a Perfect Cadence

The narrator demonstrates step-by-step how to draw a perfect cadence in the key of C major. The steps include: 1) Write the bass notes (V-I), 2) Identify the common tone, 3) Add remaining notes either above, below or on both sides of the common tone.

15:04

🎵 Explaining Chord Tones

The narrator explains how to find the chord tones to use when drawing cadences. For any chord, take the root note, skip to the next note for the 3rd, skip again to the next note for the 5th. Double the root tone. He also gives tips for visualizing this on a piano.

20:05

✏️ Homework Assignment

The narrator assigns homework to write 10 perfect cadences and 10 plagal cadences in different keys using the explained steps. He also asks students to memorize the 4 cadence types and their numeric representations.

25:05

👋 Signing Off

The narrator wraps up the lesson, hoping students understood the concepts clearly. He asks them to study hard and says he'll see them in the next lesson.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cadences

Cadences are described in the video as musical punctuation, analogous to punctuation marks in written language, such as periods, exclamation marks, and question marks. They are essential in music theory and composition for indicating the end of a musical phrase or section, providing a sense of closure or pause. The video specifically focuses on perfect and plagal cadences, illustrating their roles and functions in music, similar to how punctuation marks structure sentences in English.

💡Perfect Cadence

A perfect cadence, also known as an authentic cadence, is described in the video as a harmonic progression from the dominant (V) to the tonic (I) chord. It is likened to an exclamation mark due to its conclusive and definitive nature, often used to signal the end of a musical phrase or piece. The video highlights its importance in creating a strong sense of resolution and closure in music.

💡Plagal Cadence

The plagal cadence is explained as moving from the subdominant (IV) to the tonic (I) chord. It is associated with a more subdued, peaceful resolution compared to the perfect cadence and is often related to church music or weddings. The video uses the analogy of a pleasant, non-overbearing expression, likening it to a smiley face beside a period, to convey the gentle conclusion it provides in music.

💡Imperfect Cadence

Imperfect cadences, briefly mentioned in the video, progress from the tonic (I) to the dominant (V) chord, essentially the reverse of a perfect cadence. This type of cadence is used to create a sense of anticipation or unfinished business, leading the listener forward in the music rather than providing closure, analogous to a comma in sentence structure, indicating continuation.

💡Deceptive Cadence

A deceptive cadence, also mentioned but not detailed in the video, occurs when the progression leads from the dominant (V) to the sixth chord (VI) instead of the expected tonic. It creates a surprise or 'deceptive' moment in music, as the listener expects a resolution to the tonic but receives a different chord, akin to a plot twist in a narrative.

💡Chord Functions

Chord functions refer to the roles chords play within a musical context, particularly in establishing tension, resolution, and progression in a piece. The video discusses how understanding these functions, such as dominant and tonic roles, allows composers and musicians to craft meaningful musical narratives and effectively use cadences.

💡Voice Leading

Voice leading is a concept discussed in the context of writing cadences, focusing on the smooth transition between chords by minimizing the movement between the notes in different voices. The video emphasizes its importance in creating cohesive and pleasing musical lines, particularly when moving from one chord to another in cadential progressions.

💡Common Tone

The common tone is a note that is shared between two successive chords in a cadence, serving as a pivot or link to create smoother transitions. The video explains how identifying and utilizing common tones can enhance the continuity and flow of music, making the transitions between chords more natural.

💡Chorale Style vs. Keyboard Style

The video differentiates between chorale and keyboard styles of writing music, particularly cadences. Keyboard style, used in the video for simplicity, focuses on writing for keyboard instruments with an emphasis on individual voice movements and harmony, suitable for educational purposes and beginners in music theory.

💡Analysis and Composition

The video underscores the practical uses of understanding cadences in both analyzing and composing music. By recognizing cadence types and their functions, musicians can gain insights into the structure and emotional content of pieces they are studying or create more effective compositions by employing cadences strategically to shape musical phrases and convey desired emotions.

Highlights

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Transcripts

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