MODULATION (Changing KEY):The MISSING Piece That Nobody Told You About

If there's something that can be classified as 'dark magic' in music theory it's modulations (i.e. key changes)

I mean, it's not like they are impossible to do. Once you scrape away all the crazy jargon that musicians use and get down to the mechanics of it, changing key is not that hard.

Except... There is one thing that makes modulations sound great, and yet it's not explained in any music theory book or any course online as far as I know...

... no ok, that's not true.

There is indeed an out-of-print obscure piano manual from 1913 that mentions this "secret" in two paragraphs on the 3rd volume of the series. In a foot note.

(Seriously, that's the best -and only - reference I found!)

So I bet that you've never read what I'm doing in this video anywhere else.

But what a difference it's going to make!

So here's the missing link on how to make your key changes sound great

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[TheBaconWizard]

Internets: "Hello Thomas, nice to see you too"

[bzeliotis]

Great video. Thank you!
All good music has a good idea behind it too.Modulation seems to work best when there is a good reason for using it. OK, you can modulate so that the music isn't boring but that is a last resort.There are great pieces of music which stay in the same key throughout and use a modulation as the punchline. For instance in Ravel's Bolero after 15 minutes of staying in the same key listening to the same tune played by different instruments and mesmerised by a hypnotic ostinato rhythm we are suddenly woken up by an abrupt modulation from C major to E major and fantastic orchestration really changes the mood of the music.
An other great example of changing key is in the rock song "Don't fear the Reaper" where we have an out-of-this- world instrumental guitar solo ( to show the transition from life to death perhaps?) and the modulation is prepared by arpeggios.
So my point is that there must be a good reason to modulate which is in line with the idea behind the music.

[louieo.blevinsmusic]

Also should’ve used “Band on the run” by Paul McCartney and Wings for example. Perfect use of change of key.

[louieo.blevinsmusic]

I finally finished a composition I was writing last night. I already knew using your key chord from a bridge back to the chorus which also uses the tonic/key chord is a no no. I didn’t like the F/C to G/C, so I used the F/C, Csus(b6), Cm(11, b6) back to the G/C and it worked perfectly. Couldn’t be happier. How does it pertain to this video? I haven’t a clue cause I’m only 39 seconds in. I’m just happy. 3 days on a bridge…. Jeez.

[EddieMetal]

Modulation can change the song mood, even if you follow the same harmony structure. Higher to more energy and down to darken the song.

[johndiraimo]

Besides the ingredients you described here Tomasso, pivot chords also come to mind.

[christopherheckman]

(1) Going up a whole step is known as "Truck Driver Modulation." I heard that most people consider it to be tacky.

(2) "Playing something dissonant" ... I'd have added "intentionally" to that.

Incidentally, you can play something dissonant without changing the chord progression if you want to change the lyrical style; the song I have in mind is Radiohead's "Creep" where the singer goes from saying how wonderful a girl is, to what a creep his is.

(3) It's really a shame that you can't play note clusters on guitar; you can get C-D-E (8-7-0-x-x-x) and a few others, but nothing really big without re-tuning.

(4) Early REM features some 2-chord bridges. I don't know whether you consider simplifying (or extending) the harmonic rhythm to be a harmonic technique or not.

[fingerzfrienemy]

I like how your mind works. I think maybe it would be helpfull to discuss WHY we would change key. Also faking the change i.e. relative key etc.

[watermelonmanied]

I have a question which is only tangentially related to music: you communicate complicated ideas about music in a way that feels very natural and accessible to an english-speaking listener...in your second language!

This is very impressive. When speaking english you have a refined sense of cadence and command of idioms etc. which set your language skills above the average non-native english speaker. I would go as far as to say that you have command of the musicality of communicating in english.

Do you feel there is an overlap in the two spheres and do you feel your knolwedge and skill in music has helped you master these more refined (even non-linguistic) aspects of communicating in english?

[notsure]

More on form please. I'm stuck in a drum machine loop. I let the Alesis SR-16 keep going. I can't fill the music.

[StephLo]

Very interesting video ! 👍
One song I analyzed recently as I perceived some change in one section: *Too Hot* by *Kool* *&* *the* *gang* .
The verse and chorus are in C *minor* ... while the pre-chorus opens up and lift the mood of the song by modulating to C *major* 😃
In this case, I do not really hear any announcing change before the modulation (the drum fill simply marks end of one section as usual).
Do you ?

[dannyprasetya]

I find it hard to wrap my head around the transition from sad/dark to light/happy Francisco Tárrega's Capricho Arabe (bar 34 - 35 and bar 61 -62) Anyone could help me here?

[GuitarJeff]

Question, is it considered modulation when they just change to the relative minor. I seen that in a song once on the bridge of the song. So for example in the Key of C major for sure then the Bridge was all focused on A minor. It is noticeable to the ear as melody, drums and chord progressions change, but I kind of was like, hmm is this a key change or not. But then never really thought about it until now.

[yakovest]

Listen to Never let you go and try to figure out the theory behind that modulations:)

[AnthonyWabo]

Living on a prayer has well executed modulation

[IvanTarasov]

Thanks for a very clear explanation! I feel like I knew these things already, but never was able to articulate them that clearly!

[marshallgrey]

3:48 if you want to go straight to the point

[brendondominic]

Explain in White board I like that one a lot!

[Xplora]

Deathcore bridge - 9 string guitar wark wark wark

“That sounds contrasting”

[Snarkapotamus]

Pick any 3 Sting songs and get ready for brain fry...