Plagal cadence
Plagal cadence IV–I: a gentle subdominant-to-tonic close without a leading tone
Theory
General info
- Name
- Plagal cadence
- Cadence type
- Plagal
- Sequence
- viI
- Chord count
- 2
Cadence composition in A#
Construction logic
A plagal cadence moves from subdominant IV to tonic I. IV contains neither the leading tone nor the dominant tritone, so its pull toward tonic is weaker than in V – I. IV – I may close a phrase on its own or follow an authentic cadence as an additional confirmation of tonic.
How it sounds
A gentle close without sharp dominant tension. IV–I confirms tonic but approaches it less strongly than V–I.
Harmonic functions
- Why it works
- IV contains neither the leading tone nor the dominant tritone, so its move to I is less directed than V–I. In IV–I, scale degree 1 is retained while 4 descends to 3.
Tensions & resolutions
Harmonic context
Plagal motion occurs in hymns, sacred music, and popular music. It may close a phrase independently or follow an authentic cadence as an additional confirmation of tonic.
Variants & extensions
Variants include iv–I in major, IV–i in minor, and IV–iv–I with chromatic 6–b6–5 motion. “Extended plagal” is also applied to related pre-tonic progressions, though classification varies by analytical tradition.
This cadence on guitar 🎸
See how Plagal cadence looks on guitar.
Application in music
Genres & styles
Examples in songs
- Let It BeThe Beatles (coda)
- CreepRadiohead
- With or Without YouU2
- Knockin' on Heaven's DoorBob Dylan
- Hey JoeJimi Hendrix
- A Whiter Shade of PaleProcol Harum
Practice
- Play the vi → I cadence in A# major: Gm → A#.
- Transpose it to other keys while preserving the scale-degree formula and voice leading.
- Stop before the final chord, then compare the unresolved and complete versions.
- Play with a metronome — start at 60 BPM and gradually reach 120.
- Alternate this cadence with other types to train your ear.
- Sing the bass notes of the chords to better feel the harmonic motion.