How Johnny Cash Uses Pivot Modulation in I Walk The Line

This video is a music theory lesson on key changes, it explains the difference between pivot modulation and direct (or shift) modulation. There are lots of examples of direct modulations but not so many for pivot modulations.

The example of pivot modulation that I use here is I Walk The Line by Johnny Cash. Be aware that sometimes harmony can be analysed in different ways, without one approach contradicting the other. I've heard some people describe I Walk The Line as a direct modulation and while I can understand that point of view; you can say the I chord of the new key is where the key change happens. I however hear that new I chord at the end of each verse as a IV or V chord from the previous key first, before it then changes into possibly being a I chord and then the subsequent chords confirm the key change.

Timecodes:
00:00 - Direct Modulation
02:10 - Pivot Modulation
03:24 - I Walk The Line Analysis

[amuller]

The fact that you're using the Gretsch Jim Dandy made my day. Fabulous little guitar.

[ianseward]

This is great so what key is the song actually in .