How To Change Key: 3 Methods from Easy to Hard

How do you change key? In this music theory tutorial, Guy Michelmore explains several ways of moving from one key to another when you're writing a song or a piece of music. From a fairly straightforward to more complex ways of modulating from one key to another (modulating is just another term for changing key). IN this tutorial Guy takes you through pivot chords, pivot notes, chord chains, changing mode rather than key right through to chromatic mediants.

Getting Started with Music Theory FREE course
Want to learn some music theory, but don't know where to start? Try our free 'Getting Started with Music Theory' email course. You'll learn the basics of scales, keys, chords, rhythms, and structure in your music.

0:00 Intro
1:04 Pivot chords and how to use them to change key
1:48 A trip to a mountain in Italy
3:03 Key change example
4:50 Pivot notes
7:20 Chord chains and sequences
8:50 Changing mode
10:39 Direct Modulation
12:08 Conclusion

[ThinkSpaceEducation]

Getting Started with Music Theory FREE course
Want to learn some music theory, but don't know where to start? Try our free 'Getting Started with Music Theory' email course. You'll learn the basics of scales, keys, chords, rhythms, and structure in your music.

[ccostantyt]

From Italy ... What an amazing way to explain this😃!

[MttHny]

This was very insightful! Exactly the video I've been needing to see. You are the man! Thank you so much

[johnmac]

Entertaining as well as informative, thanks Guy 😅

[zandel_zandel]

At 1:56 stopped to say this: already looks a great video! Subscribed.

[chrisg]

Can’t honestly say I really understood but kind of made sense ! Well I enjoyed it sounded cool

[CesarDMarin]

This is amazing! Thank you for the video! I have learned about but you have explained it better...

[SqueamishCactus]

Always love learning new stuff and Guy explains it so well. He truly is a maestro. ❤👍

[bernardraconte]

Merci beaucoup pour toutes vos vidéos (from France, near Chateauneuf du Pape !)

[mantrapotro]

Amazing as usual ! 🖐🏻. Thanks a lot Guy 🙏🏻

[davidsinclair]

Thanks Guy. Really interesting material and ideas for me to play around with.

[swessels]

New MIDI keyboard? Love the way you explained this.

[alyamin]

Thank you so much Guy! I've been subscribed for a while now and your videos really help me become a better musician, love from Egypt.

[netuno]

Very good Guy! Whaaat!? Yes, it was a very good video Mr.Guy. Thank you for all you have teached me.

[onlyeyeno]

Thanks for another very enjoyable and entertaining video.
Though I must confess that I know close enough to nothing about music and even less about composition, and I come here only because I very much enjoy the tone and manor that the concepts are presented. I enjoy listening to (and watching) all "masters of a craft" who have the ability to demonstrate, describe and explain their "craft" in an approachable way. And if I from time to time even manage to pick up some small morsel that gives me a tiny bit more understanding of subject presented, then that's just a bonus :)
Best regards.

[taggartjs]

You simply must do a video about your awesome studio building with which I’m obsessed. I’m planning on building one of my own and yours has inspired me to no end. Oh, and I love the videos, too. Very informative, sir!❤

[JanBLarsson]

Guy's take on Titanic swiftly changes every key to EASTER! Enjoy the holidays. Really needed this video now :)

[joeldavidpalmer]

Super clear and, as always, an inspiration. Now, get to work, me!

[jaymurray]

Hey GM in non music related news we had to changes keys as apposed to changing a key when our door lock busted.. So that’s what popped into my head. Anyways hope your ok and y’all not burning the midnight oil too much you looked a little tired and we can’t have our rockstar with a lack energy when putting on those glassy shades of awesomeness 😎 (understandable if you’ve been running up and down Italian mountains - though that looked remarkable like a gentle hill.

[MartinJG]

Great stuff, Guy. Cycling through keys is a really interesting technique and adds so much to the piece. PS - 2:46 :)..