Intro to Modulations and Key Changes
This video is an introduction to modulations and key changes. We explore many examples of modulations you've probably heard before, some which are direct transpositions up from their original key, and others that are more complex.
Key changes can be as simple or as difficult as you want them to be. At their heart, they make things sound different, so it can be an effective trick for extending the usability of a section to prevent it from being bland, or to brighten it up or darken it by lifting it up or down respectively.
Recommended Prerequisites
The following lessons are highly recommended if you are confused by anything in this video:
- How To Write Chord Progressions
- Writing in Minor Keys
- The Dominant Chord and Secondary Dominants
- Borrowed Chords
A Note on Enharmonic Spellings
In this video, I refer to keys like G# major and C# major, which are theoretical keys. If I were to write this music out, I would certainly choose key signatures like Ab major and Db major, since double sharps (and B sharps) are a pain.
However, when referring to a key, context is important. When we are transposing up from C by a half step, we are literally sharping everything in the key of C, and it can be helpful to think of that as C# Major. It's not helpful to notate it like that, which is why I included the key signatures of traditional keys and not the goofy ones with double sharps.
Learn More
For a deeper dive into modulations and how they work within harmony, check out Chapter 22 of the Codex, which covers modulation techniques in detail.