Cadences in Minor
Up to the previous lesson, you should have gotten a sense of the tonic, subdominant and dominant chords in each minor key and their functions.
(They are also called tonic minor, subdominant minor and dominant minor, respectively.)
This time, we will focus on cadences in minor, and on the characteristics of the V and V7 created by adding a leading tone to natural minor, which we learned in Lesson 51.
Since all of these are chords built on the tonic, subdominant and dominant, they are sometimes written using only T, SD (S) and D, but this time we will write them as in the image for clarity.
The leading tone and tritone in the chord built on the dominant create instability and tension, making it a chord that strongly wants to return to the tonic (Tm).
As in major keys, we write this as D.
This time, we will check minor as well by applying it to cadences, the minimum movement needed to create a sense of story with a chord progression, in other words "the smallest unit of a chord progression."
While comparing with Lesson 31, let's start with the three basic ones as with major.
To make comparison easy, we will check them in the parallel minor key (C minor).
T → D → T
- Tm → Dm → Tm / Im → Vm → Im, Cm → Gm → Cm
- Im → Vm7 → Im / Cm → Gm7 → Cm
Tm → D → Tm
- Im → V → Im / Cm → G → Cm
- Im → V7 → Im / Cm → G7 → Cm
- Im → Vm7 → Im / Cm → Gm7 → Cm | Im → V7 → Im / Cm → G7 → Cm
Hearing them back to back makes the difference in sound easy to understand.
The second one sounds more powerful and gives the impression of being released from tension.
Try the I as a four-note chord too.
T → SD → T
- Tm → SDm → Tm / Cm → Fm → Cm
This cadence is characterized by a gentle landing.
Because it is in a minor key, it gives the impression of landing with a light skip while still carrying sad or bittersweet feelings.
Be sure to try this characteristic with four-note chords as well.
T → SD → D → T
- Tm → SDm → Dm → Tm / Cm → Fm7 → Gm7 → Cm
T → SD → D → T
- Tm → SDm → D → Tm / Cm → Fm7 → G7 → Cm
This is a typical cadence with a very smooth flow: from stability to the next development, then tension (especially at D), and finally a return that brings a sense of relief.
Those are the three basic types, but of course you can now also hear the D → SD (Dm, D → SDm) flow that appeared at the end of Lesson 31.
- Example (Tm → Dm → SDm → Tm) Cm → Gm7 → Fm7 → Cm
We have looked at minor cadences just as we did with major, and I think this has added more tools for writing songs.
Based on what you have learned so far, keep analyzing songs.
You are sure to make further discoveries.
Next time, we will cover the harmonic minor scale and the augmented interval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the difference between minor and major cadences?
Minor cadences carry emotional colors such as sadness and bittersweetness and tend to land more gently than major ones. Even the same T → D → T progression becomes Cm → Gm → Cm in minor, giving a darker impression than C → G → C in major.
Q2. What is the difference between V7 and Vm?
V7 (a seventh chord) contains the leading tone and the tritone, bringing stronger tension and instability. Vm (minor five) has a softer, gentler sound, and choosing between them according to the progression increases your expressiveness.
Q3. What are the benefits of trying cadences with four-note chords?
Adding four-note chords creates thickness and a refined sound, making it more modern and rich. Even with the same progression, adding seventh chords lets you express tension and release more vividly.
Q4. How does learning cadences change songwriting?
Cadences are the smallest unit of a chord progression, so mastering the basic patterns improves your ability to structure whole songs and lets you create more effective and convincing music.
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