View post (CADENCE)

View thread

Azrael
Gargoyle Instructor
Joined: 04/06/01
Posts: 2,093
Azrael
Gargoyle Instructor
Joined: 04/06/01
Posts: 2,093
12/28/2003 11:40 pm
wellll..

Basically a 'Cadence' is a series of chords to structuring or finish a song. The word CADENCE comes from "Cadere" and means "to fall".

but what has "falling" to do with a succession of chords?

lemme try to explain...

The classical Cadence in C major is I-IV-V-I (C Major, F Major, G Major and C again)

The word is related to that because of the old days when there was still the Hexachord structure in use (to explain that would take a bit too long now).

The Hexachord was a system of 6-note scales.
C-hex, for example, was C-D-E-F-G-A

The I-IV-V-I Cadence contains a G major chord - and in a G major chord there is the note B - but in C-hex there is no B.

But in G-hex there is a B (G-A-B-C-D-E)

So the cassical cadence stays in C at I, stays in C at IV - and then it FALLS (cadere) down to G-hex at V and goes back to C again at I.

(G-hex was below C-hex in the view of the Hexachord system)

this is, however, a VERY short explaination.

[FONT=Times New Roman]Holiness is in right action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves. What you decide to do every day makes you a good person... or not.[/FONT][br][br]