Discussing my work-in-progress song titled fixed point with my music teacher.

Specifically, about this section at around 15 seconds in:

This chord progression can be called an extended Plagal cadence. This is because a Plagal cadence is usually just a IV7 -> I7, but here I'm doing IV7 -> iv7 -> I7.

Specifically, the transition from Amaj to Amin can be considered a way where I'm adding leading tones. The two flattened notes are one half step away from the notes in the following I chord, which makes the resolution feel especially powerful. Additionally, the very last note in the arpeggio is an added 9th, which is part of the Amin scale and one whole step from the root note of the following I chord.

The strategy of making empowering, inspiring music often uses the pattern of using two major sevenths separated by a 5th up or a 4th down like I am doing here.

He suggested I listen to the soundtrack for Sayonara Wild Hearts, specifically the Claire de Lune rendition, which also employs similar tactics.

I asked if the song employed similar tactics to another song FLOATING POINT that I've been wanting to imitate for a long time and inspired the one I'm working on. After taking a listen to it, he confirmed that it also uses the Plagal cadence strategy.