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Music vocabulary · Melody, Form and Songwriting

Antecedent phrase

Meaning in music, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In music, antecedent phrase means: The first phrase in a paired musical idea, often ending with a weaker cadence that invites a following answer.

In Turkish: öncül cümle

How it is used

Used in theory and analysis for question-and-answer phrasing in melodies and themes. Often paired with consequent phrase in classical and popular writing.

Example sentences

  1. In the opening theme, the antecedent phrase ends on the dominant, so listeners expect a more settled continuation.

    Here antecedent phrase is the first half of a balanced idea, and its incomplete ending creates expectation.

  2. When revising the chorus, she shortened the antecedent phrase to make the answering line sound more decisive.

    In this example, the term identifies the opening phrase whose shape influences how strongly the response is heard.

Common collocations

  • antecedent phrase ending
  • balanced phrase pair
  • question phrase
  • period structure
  • melodyA sequence of single notes that forms a recognisable musical line, often the part that people remember and sing along to.
  • verseA section of a song that tells the story or develops the idea. Verses usually share the same melody but have different words each time.

More terms: Melody, Form and Songwriting

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