What Are Plagal, Deceptive and Phrygian Cadences? 

Chord Formulas and Musical Examples

Plagal, Deceptive and Phrygian Cadences: Three Alternative Ways to Shape Harmonic Movement

Not every musical phrase needs to end with a conventional dominant-to-tonic resolution.

Tonal harmony offers several alternative ways of creating arrival, surprise or anticipation. Three particularly interesting examples are the plagal cadence, the deceptive cadence and the Phrygian half cadence.

Each has a distinctive harmonic structure and can be used to create a different musical effect.

1. Plagal Cadence: IV → I

The plagal cadence moves from the subdominant chord (IV) to the tonic (I).

Example in C major:

F major → C major

F major consists of:

F – A – C

C major consists of:

C – E – G

Unlike the authentic cadence, the plagal cadence does not contain the dominant chord or its characteristic leading-tone resolution.

Instead, the movement from the subdominant to the tonic creates a relatively gentle sense of arrival.

Why Is It Called the Amen Cadence?

The plagal cadence is traditionally associated with the ending of Christian hymns, where the progression IV–I often accompanies the word "Amen".

This association has made the term "Amen cadence" widely recognised.

However, plagal cadences are not limited to religious music. They appear frequently in pop, rock, cinematic compositions and contemporary electronic music.

The Plagal Cadence in Contemporary Music

The softer character of IV–I can be useful when you want to establish a sense of conclusion without the strong directional tension of V–I.

For example, in ambient music, Fmaj7 resolving to Cmaj7 can create a gentle harmonic arrival.

Try playing:

Fmaj7 → Cmaj7

Compare it with:

G7 → Cmaj7

Both arrive at Cmaj7, but the harmonic journey is quite different.

The first feels relatively gentle, while the second has a stronger dominant-to-tonic pull.

2. Deceptive Cadence: V → vi

The deceptive cadence begins with a dominant chord but avoids the expected tonic resolution.

Instead, it moves to another chord, most commonly the submediant (vi).

Example in C major:

G major → A minor

The listener expects G major to resolve to C major.

Instead, the bass moves to A and the harmony arrives at A minor.

The effect is one of surprise.

Why Does It Work?

The dominant chord creates an expectation of resolution.

In G major, the note B is the leading tone of C major. It tends to resolve upwards to C.

In a deceptive progression, this leading tone can still resolve to C, which is also a note in A minor.

However, the bass moves from G to A rather than G to C.

The result satisfies part of the expected resolution while avoiding the anticipated tonic arrival.

This is what makes the deceptive cadence so effective.

Practical Applications

Deceptive cadences are useful when:

• You want to extend a musical phrase.
• A progression feels too predictable.
• You want to delay a final resolution.
• You want to introduce an unexpected emotional change.

Try playing:

Dm7 → G7 → Am7

Then compare it with:

Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7

The first progression avoids the expected tonic and creates a different sense of continuation.

3. Phrygian Half Cadence: iv⁶ → V

The Phrygian half cadence is particularly associated with minor-key harmony.

Its characteristic feature is a descending semitone in the bass, from scale degree 6 to scale degree 5.

Example in A minor:

Dm/F → E major

The D minor chord consists of:

D – F – A

In first inversion, F is the bass note.

The E major chord consists of:

E – G# – B

The bass therefore moves:

F → E

This descending semitone creates a strong sense of tension and anticipation before the dominant chord.

Why Is It Called Phrygian?

The name refers to the characteristic semitone relationship associated with the Phrygian mode.

The bass movement from the flattened sixth degree to the fifth degree is the defining feature of the cadence in minor-key contexts.

Historically, it became particularly important in Baroque music, often appearing before dominant arrivals and in musical passages with a solemn or dramatic character.

Practical Applications

The Phrygian half cadence can be particularly effective in:

• Minor-key compositions.
• Dramatic cinematic passages.
• Baroque-inspired arrangements.
• Dark ambient music.
• Music requiring a strong sense of anticipation.

Try playing the progression slowly and allowing the bass movement F to E to become clearly audible.

You can also experiment with extended chords:

Dm7/F → E7

The additional chord tones change the colour of the progression while preserving its characteristic bass movement.

Comparing the Three Cadences

Practical Composition Exercise

Create three short musical phrases, each using one of these cadences.

Phrase 1: Gentle conclusion

Fmaj7 → Cmaj7

Phrase 2: Unexpected continuation

Dm7 → G7 → Am7

Phrase 3: Dramatic dominant arrival

Dm/F → E7

Use the same tempo, instrumentation and sound palette for all three examples.

Listen to how the different harmonic endings change the impression of the music, even though the overall musical material remains similar.

Beyond Traditional Harmony

These cadence types offer useful compositional ideas even when you are not writing conventional tonal music.

For example, the deceptive cadence can become a way of avoiding predictable harmonic loops. The plagal cadence can create a gentle point of arrival, while the Phrygian half cadence can introduce tension into a minor-key generative sequence.

The underlying principle is simple: harmonic movement is not just about which chord comes next. It is about what the listener expects to happen and whether that expectation is fulfilled.

Once you understand these three cadences, you have additional ways of controlling that expectation.

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