cadences

[tenderland]

Hello,

I have been practicing cadences in all major and minor keys, all inversions. I wondered at what point does it become not worthwhile if you are just ponding them out from memory

[keypeg]

A quick thought is to notice these cadences in music you play, recognize them, tell yourself what they are.  Maybe you can even invent short musical pieces or passages that end in a cadence.

[lelle]

Hello,

I have been practicing cadences in all major and minor keys, all inversions. I wondered at what point does it become not worthwhile if you are just ponding them out from memory

I would guess what determines what makes it worthwhile or not is the purpose behind why you are doing it. So why did you start practicing cadences in all keys and inversions? What's your goal or reason for doing it?

[tenderland]

Thank You for both responses. My intention to practice cadences is to learn how to improvise more , But I have noticed my reading is improving.

[keypeg]

An extra thought about "cadence"

The first time I learned the term, it was introduced as a pair of chords, and they also happened to be at the end of a passage when presented.  You had your I-V, I-V (imperfect), V-I (perfect), V-vi (deceptive), IV-I (plagal) and different schools will nuance the names but that's the gist.  A "cadence" was a combo of those chords.

Later, in formal theory, there was an extension of the Tonic that might go I-V-I-V-I-V-I for a while, sometimes with an inversion thrown in.  Clearly any "V-I" pair in there was not a cadence.  So a specific chord-pair did not in and of itself make a "cadence".

The Goetschius book, then, gave a better definition of a cadence.  Something like, that it marks the ending of something - whether of a passage, or the 'call' part of a phrase before the 'answer' part.  The chords were part of the cadence.  But so was time.  The passage often slows down at a cadence.  If there is a relentless rhythm, that might alter.  My concept of "cadence" changed from that point forward to something that was more than just a specific pair of chords.

Interested in other thoughts.

[quantum]

If you have learned the role of the cadences and are just practising them in various keys, it would be beneficial to pair the cadences with other material in order to involve some musical context.

For example, at the conclusion of playing a scale.  In some examinations, cadences are asked for in this manner.

Far more beneficial, IMO, is to use cadences along with melodies.  Play a melody in unison, then at appropriate points, insert a cadence. 

Extending from that, you can go on to improvise short melodies, and use cadences with them.

[anacrusis]

I think judging from your question, you don't need to keep pounding them out any more