[lollum_dropcap]T[/lollum_dropcap]he main function of the dominant chord ( V ) is to resolve to the tonic chord ( I ) of the key. This is called a Standard Resolution and can be very useful when ending a piece of music or a section of a song, as it is what the listener will be expecting.

However if we proceed to any other chord after the dominant it tricks the listener and creates a feeling of tension and surprise. This technique is called a Deceptive Resolution. The most common deceptive resolution is to the sixth chord of the key. Other typical options are ii, IV6, iv6.

Deceptive resolutions can be useful for extending a progression or modulating to another key.

A Deceptive Resolution Visualized

Go ahead and try out some of these deceptive resolutions using the following chords.