Authentic Cadence (V I)
The Authentic cadence is the chord progression V-I. In the key of C major it is G C, and in the Nashville Number System it is written 5 1.
It is also known as perfect cadence, perfect authentic cadence.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
The dominant resolves to the tonic: the leading tone rises a half step, and the bass falls a fifth. If the seventh is added, the V7 tritone adds more pull. It is the strongest full stop in tonal music, and it comes straight from the major scale.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Happy Birthday | Patty and Mildred Hill | end of the song | G7 C on the last line | C major |
| Silent Night | Traditional (Franz Gruber) | end of the verse | D7 G | G major |
| Hey Jude | The Beatles | end of each verse line | C7 F | F major |
Authentic Cadence: Chords and Audio in C, G, D, A and E
Press play to hear each key. The diagrams show the shapes used in the audio, and every chord links to its full page.
Same loop, different starting chord
- I-V: C G
More progressions like this one
- Plagal cadence: F C
- Deceptive cadence: G Am
- Phrygian half cadence: Fm/Ab G
- Cadential six-four: Dm C/G G C
All guitar chord progressions →
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
FAQ
What are the chords of the Authentic cadence in each key?
In C major: G C. In G major: D G. In D major: A D. In A major: E A. In E major: B E.
Which songs use the Authentic cadence?
Songs that use it include Happy Birthday by Patty and Mildred Hill, Silent Night by Traditional (Franz Gruber), Hey Jude by The Beatles.
