need help preparing cadences

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need help preparing cadences

Postby Fimbulin » 16 Dec 2014 14:00

I can't seem to get cadences prepared correctly. I write music and the cadences seem to happen and aren't approached earlier by any sort of preparation. I have a hard time with the more sudden stops and starts OR with swirling melodic and harmonic content that never has any audible cadence point. When I listen to Baroque or Renaissance music I can definitely hear a sort of buildup so that the cadence is expected. Mine are only expectable because of their relation to whatever form I am using and not my note content. I would appreciate some help with this.

Keep in mind most of my music over the past two years has been for personal or commissioned projects that I have not made available to the public.
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Re: need help preparing cadences

Postby CitricAcid » 16 Dec 2014 15:14

The easiest way to build up to a cadence is to follow the circle of fiths: iii - vi - ii - V - I

The more generic version of the above tip, is to use no retrogressions when attempting to build up to a cadence. Root movement should only be up a 2nd, down a 3rd, or up a 4th (down a 5th). Ex: a ii chord can move up a 2nd to iii, down a 3rd to V7/iii, or up a 4th to vii°7/-vi. As the example illustrates, feel free to venture into other tonal areas as you progress.

Couple the above tips with melodies that follow a single line of movement--upward, downward, or staying the same--as they progress toward the cadence. Favor sequences or other recurring intervalic content over meandering all over the place. And the general guideline of all melodies: all melodic leaps of an interval greater than a 2nd should be immediately followed by a leap or step in the opposite direction.
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Re: need help preparing cadences

Postby Fimbulin » 16 Dec 2014 16:17

Here's an example of mine showcasing the problem. This was for a class assignment.

https://m.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A ... EnRpxN&s=1

I know I have the cadences in there and they are supposed to be signaling the sections, but they aren't strong enough because of my poor preparation.
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Re: need help preparing cadences

Postby CitricAcid » 16 Dec 2014 17:10

Here's your opening melody and its harmonic analysis:

Image
(Forgive me, I forgot to write the final "i", but you know it's there.)

To address the cadence first, it is weakened primarily by being immediately preceded by the tonic chord. Additionally, this first phrase does not venture away from the tonic for very long, as it returns there in bars 3 and 5. The resolution will be stronger if you stay away from the tonic chord throughout the phrase. It also may be weakened by how soon it happens in the piece. Read through some other Bach inventions and count how many bars there are until the first cadence. Also make note of whether the first cadence is authentic, half, deceptive, or plagal. I recommend making your first cadence a half cadence, rather than the authentic one you have now.

Qualitatively, the piece is too "busy"; there are many leaps that have nothing to do with the others, and the rhythmic variation makes the piece sound like it can't make up its mind whether it wants to go slow or fast. Try picking two note durations--e.g. 8ths and 16ths--and stick to them only.

And the "v" chord in the 2nd bar is a no-no. Minor v chords are rare in Baroque music and should generally be avoided.
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Re: need help preparing cadences

Postby Fimbulin » 16 Dec 2014 19:50

For an invention, Bach almost always starts with his motives as I in soprano to I in bass to V in soprano to V in bass (and in minor it is a minor v) . It's basic procedure for an invention. I wrote this for counterpoint class and the most points I lost at any portion of it was for cadences. The first cadence from the exposition to the episode is the only one I got correct. It starts the episode at the third measure. My last four measures you copied are the first episode. I'm seeing the error in the inclusion of my I chord before my cadence. I missed that when I was creating my piece because it is kinda hidden. Thanks for mentioning that. I'll be more mindful of that in the future. Seems like I have tonic chords everywhere weakening my cadences.
Also one point of an invention is that it needs to be statically rythmic. The two whole notes are filler notes. They are my counter-motive. My only thing I was asking about was my cadence preparations. I did follow proper procedure for the structure.
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