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→Harmonic Functions
|Music Theory - Diatonic Chord Progressions#Cadences|Cadences}}
At the most basic level of abstraction, each diatonic chord has one of three <u>harmonic functions</u>: ''tonic'', ''pre-dominant'', or ''dominant''. The function of tonic chords is to establish tonality or resolve tension. Thus it is often the first and/or last chord in a song. Dominant functions to create tension that can be relieved by tonic chords. Pre-dominant chords serves to lead into dominant chords. Here is a table with all the diatonic chords and their function:
{|class="wikitable"
This gives us our first and most basic chord progression: I - IV - V - I:
C F/C G/B C
I IV V I
Ok, yeah, so we already saw this in a prior lesson. Well let's switch some chords to parallels with the same harmonic function:
Am Dm/A G/B C
vi ii V I
E--------------------------
Am F/A Em/B C
vi IV iii I