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In music
Music

Music is an art form whose media is sound organized in time. Common elements of music are pitch , rhythm , dynamics , and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture ....
, modulation is most commonly the act or process of changing from one key
Key (music)

In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a certain key, such as in the key of C or in the key of F-sharp....
 (tonic
Tonic (music)

The tonic is the first note of a scale in the tonality method of musical composition. The chord #The Triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord ....
, or tonal center
Tonality

Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchy pitch relationships are based on a Key "center" or Tonic . The term tonalit? originated with Alexandre-?tienne Choron and was borrowed by Fran?ois-Joseph F?tis in 1840 ....
) to another. This may or may not be accompanied by a change in key signature
Key signature

In musical notation, a key signature is a series of Sharp or Flat symbols placed on the staff , designating note s that are to be consistently played one semitone higher or lower than the equivalent natural sign notes unless otherwise altered with an Accidental ....
. Modulations articulate or create the structure or form
Musical form

The term musical form refers to two related concepts:*the type of composition *the structure of a particular musical piece .There is some overlap between musical form and musical genre....
 of many pieces, as well as add interest. Treatment of a chord
Chord (music)

In music and music theory a chord is a set of two or more different note that sound simultaneously. Most often, in European-influenced music, chords are tertian Sonority that can be constructed as stacks of thirds relative to some underlying musical scale....
 as the tonic for less than a phrase
Phrase (music)

In music a phrase is a section of music that is relatively self contained and coherent over a medium time scale. In common practice, phrases are often four and most often eight bar s, or Measure s, long....
 is considered tonicization
Tonicization

In music, tonicization is the treatment of a pitch other than the overall Tonic as a temporary tonic in a musical composition. Tonicization is achieved through the use of the scale and harmonies of the tonicized key....
.

e are several different types of modulation -- (these) modulations may be prepared or unprepared, smooth or abrupt.






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In music
Music

Music is an art form whose media is sound organized in time. Common elements of music are pitch , rhythm , dynamics , and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture ....
, modulation is most commonly the act or process of changing from one key
Key (music)

In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a certain key, such as in the key of C or in the key of F-sharp....
 (tonic
Tonic (music)

The tonic is the first note of a scale in the tonality method of musical composition. The chord #The Triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord ....
, or tonal center
Tonality

Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchy pitch relationships are based on a Key "center" or Tonic . The term tonalit? originated with Alexandre-?tienne Choron and was borrowed by Fran?ois-Joseph F?tis in 1840 ....
) to another. This may or may not be accompanied by a change in key signature
Key signature

In musical notation, a key signature is a series of Sharp or Flat symbols placed on the staff , designating note s that are to be consistently played one semitone higher or lower than the equivalent natural sign notes unless otherwise altered with an Accidental ....
. Modulations articulate or create the structure or form
Musical form

The term musical form refers to two related concepts:*the type of composition *the structure of a particular musical piece .There is some overlap between musical form and musical genre....
 of many pieces, as well as add interest. Treatment of a chord
Chord (music)

In music and music theory a chord is a set of two or more different note that sound simultaneously. Most often, in European-influenced music, chords are tertian Sonority that can be constructed as stacks of thirds relative to some underlying musical scale....
 as the tonic for less than a phrase
Phrase (music)

In music a phrase is a section of music that is relatively self contained and coherent over a medium time scale. In common practice, phrases are often four and most often eight bar s, or Measure s, long....
 is considered tonicization
Tonicization

In music, tonicization is the treatment of a pitch other than the overall Tonic as a temporary tonic in a musical composition. Tonicization is achieved through the use of the scale and harmonies of the tonicized key....
.

Types

There are several different types of modulation -- (these) modulations may be prepared or unprepared, smooth or abrupt. It is smoother to modulate to more closely related key
Closely related key

In music, a closely related key is one sharing many common tones with the original key.In elementary harmony, these are the family of key s that shares either all pitch or all but one pitch with the key it is being compared to....
s than to keys further away. Closeness is determined by the number of notes in common between keys, which provides more possible pivot chords, easily determined by their closeness on the circle of fifths
Circle of fifths

In music theory, the circle of fifths shows the relationships among the twelve tones of the chromatic scale, their corresponding key signatures, and the associated major and minor keys....
. A modulation is often completed by a cadence
Cadence (music)

In Classical music musical theory, a harmonic cadence is a chord progression of two chord s that Conclusion a phrase , section , or composition of music....
 in the new key
Key (music)

In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a certain key, such as in the key of C or in the key of F-sharp....
, which helps to establish it. Brief modulations are often considered tonicization
Tonicization

In music, tonicization is the treatment of a pitch other than the overall Tonic as a temporary tonic in a musical composition. Tonicization is achieved through the use of the scale and harmonies of the tonicized key....
s.

Common chord modulation

Common chord
Common chord

The term common chord has more than one meaning, as explained below....
 modulation (also known as diatonic pivot chord modulation) moves from the original key to the destination key (usually a closely related key
Closely related key

In music, a closely related key is one sharing many common tones with the original key.In elementary harmony, these are the family of key s that shares either all pitch or all but one pitch with the key it is being compared to....
) by way of a chord both keys share. For example, G major and D major share 4 chords in common: G, Bm, D, Em. This can be easily determined by a chart similar to the one below, which compares chord qualities. The I chord in G Major—a G major chord—is also the IV chord in D major, so I in G major and IV in D major are aligned on the chart.

Any chord with the same root note and chord quality (major/minor) can be used as the "pivot chord." However, chords that are not generally found in the style of the piece (for example, major VII chords in a Bach-style chorale) are also not likely to be chosen as the pivot chord. The most common pivot chords are the predominant chords (ii and IV) in the new key. In analysis of a piece that uses this style of modulation, the common chord is labeled with its function in both the original and the destination keys, as it can be seen either way.

Enharmonic modulation


An enharmonic modulation takes place when one treats a chord as if it were spelled enharmonic
Enharmonic

In modern music and musical notation, an enharmonic equivalent is a note , interval , or key signature which is equivalence to some other note, interval, or key signature, but "spelled", or named, differently....
ally as a functional chord in the destination key, and then proceeds in the destination key. There are two main types of enharmonic modulations: dominant seventh
Seventh chord

A seventh chord is a chord consisting of a triad plus a note forming an interval of a seventh above the chord's root . When not otherwise specified, a "seventh chord" usually means a major triad with a flat seventh ....
/augmented sixth
Augmented sixth chord

An augmented sixth chord contains the interval of an augmented sixth above its "root." This chord has its origins in the Renaissance, further developed in the Baroque music, and became a distinctive part of the musical style of the Classical period and Romantic period periods....
, and diminished seventh
Seventh chord

A seventh chord is a chord consisting of a triad plus a note forming an interval of a seventh above the chord's root . When not otherwise specified, a "seventh chord" usually means a major triad with a flat seventh ....
 -- by respelling the notes, any dominant seventh can be reinterpreted as a German or Italian sixth (depending on whether or not the fifth is present), and any diminished seventh chord can be respelled in multiple other ways to form other diminished seventh chords. By combining the diminished seventh with a dominant seventh and/or augmented sixth, changing only one pivot note at a time, it is possible to modulate quite smoothly from any key to any other in at most three chords, no matter how distant the starting and ending keys; however, the effect is easily overworked.

(Examples: C-E-G-B, a dominant 7th, becomes C-E-G-A, a German sixth. C-E-G-B, a C diminished seventh, can also be spelled as E-G-B-D, an E diminished seventh, G-B-D-F, a G diminished seventh, and B-D-F-A, a B diminished seventh. Combining the diminished 7th with the dominant 7th/aug.6th: starting again from C diminished seventh, the progression C-E-G-B, C-E-G-A (dom.7th), D-F-A takes us to the key of D major; C-E-G-B, C-E-G-B (dom.7th), C-F-A, to F major; but the exact same progression enharmonically C-E-G-B, C-E-G-B(dom.7th)=C-E-G-A(aug.6th), B-D-F-B takes us somewhat unexpectedly to B major; C-E-G-B, C-E-G-B=D-E-G-B(dom.7th), C-E-A to A major; etc. )

This type of modulation is particularly common in Romantic music
Romantic music

In music, romanticism is a term, often considered misleading, and concept derived from literature traditionally defined by attributes including, "interest in nature, medieval chivalry, mysticism, [and] remoteness [ Social alienation and Solitude]"....
, in which chromaticism
Chromaticism

In music, chromaticism is a compositional technique interspersing the primary diatonic pitches and chords with other pitches of the chromatic scale....
 rose to prominence.

Common-tone modulation


Common-tone modulation uses a sustained or repeated pitch from the old key as a bridge between it and the new key. Usually, this pitch will be held alone before the music continues in the new key. For example, a held F from a section in B? major could be used to transition to F major. This is used, for example, in Schubert's Unfinished Symphony.

Chromatic modulation


A chromatic modulation is so named because a secondary dominant
Secondary dominant

Secondary dominant is a type of chord used in musical harmony. It refers to a Dominant of a degree other than the Tonic , with V7/V, the dominant of the dominant, "being the most frequently encountered"....
 or other chromatically altered chord
Altered chord

In music, an altered chord, an example of alteration, is a chord with one or more diatonic notes replaced by, or altered to, a neighboring pitch in the chromatic scale....
 is used to lead one voice chromatically
Diatonic and chromatic

Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are most often used to characterise Scale , and are also applied to Interval , Chord , notes, musical styles, and kinds of harmony....
 up or down on the way to the new key. (In standard four-part chorale
Chorale

A chorale was originally a hymn of the Lutheran church sung by the entire congregation. In casual modern usage, the term also includes classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
-style writing, this chromatic line will be in one voice.) For example, a chromatic modulation from C major to d minor:

In this case, the IV chord (FM) would be spelled F-A-C, the V/ii chord (AM) spelled A-C?-E, and the ii chord (dm), D-F-A. Thus the chromaticism, C-C?-D, along the three chords; this could easily be partwritten so those notes all occurred in one voice.

The combination of chromatic modulation with enharmonic modulation in late Romantic music
Romantic music

In music, romanticism is a term, often considered misleading, and concept derived from literature traditionally defined by attributes including, "interest in nature, medieval chivalry, mysticism, [and] remoteness [ Social alienation and Solitude]"....
 led to extremely complex progressions in the music of such composers as César Franck
César Franck

C?sar Franck , a Belgian composer, organist and music teacher who lived in France, was one of the great figures in Romantic music in the second half of the 19th century....
, in which two or three key shifts may occur in the space of a single bar, each phrase ends in a key harmonically remote from its beginning, and great dramatic tension is built while all sense of underlying tonality is temporarily in abeyance. Good examples are to be found in the opening of his Symphony in D Minor, of which he himself said (see ) "I dared much, but the next time, you will see, I will dare even more..."; and his Trois Chorals for organ, especially the first and third of these, indeed fulfill that promise.

Phrase modulation


Phrase (also called direct or abrupt) modulation is a modulation in which one phrase ends with a cadence
Cadence (music)

In Classical music musical theory, a harmonic cadence is a chord progression of two chord s that Conclusion a phrase , section , or composition of music....
 in the original key, and begins the next phrase in the destination key without any transition material linking the two keys. This type of modulation is frequently done to a closely related key
Closely related key

In music, a closely related key is one sharing many common tones with the original key.In elementary harmony, these are the family of key s that shares either all pitch or all but one pitch with the key it is being compared to....
 -- particularly the dominant or the relative major/minor key. A common device in popular music
Popular music

Popular music is music that is accessible to the mainstream and disseminated by one or more of the mass media. It belongs to any of a number of musical genres, and stands in contrast to classical music, which historically was the music of the elite and upper strata of society, and traditional music which was disseminated orally....
, the "truck driver's gear change" or "Star Search
Star Search

Star Search was a television show that was produced from 1983 to 1995 and hosted by Ed McMahon. A relaunch was produced in 2002 - 2004. The show was originally filmed at the old Earl Carroll Theatre at 6230 Sunset Blvd....
 modulation" is an abrupt modulation, usually to the key a semitone above, typically used to provide an "emotionally uplifting" finale. An example can be heard towards the end of Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson is an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5 and began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group....
's "Man in the Mirror
Man in the Mirror

"Man in the Mirror" was a number-one hit for singer Michael Jackson when released as a single in the spring of 1988. It is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed songs and it was nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards....
".

Abrupt modulation is also common in forms with sharply delineated sections, such as theme and variations and many dance forms.

Sequential modulation


Sequential modulation is also called rosalia. It is also possible to modulate by way of a sequence
Sequence (music)

A sequence in music occurs when a given melody or harmony passage is immediately repeated at a different pitch level. It is possible for melody or harmony to form a sequence without the other participating....
. The sequential passage will begin in the home key, and may move either diatonically or chromatically
Diatonic and chromatic

Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are most often used to characterise Scale , and are also applied to Interval , Chord , notes, musical styles, and kinds of harmony....
; harmonic function is generally disregarded in a sequence, or, at least, it is far less important than the sequential motion. For this reason, a sequence may end at a point that suggests a different tonality
Tonality

Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchy pitch relationships are based on a Key "center" or Tonic . The term tonalit? originated with Alexandre-?tienne Choron and was borrowed by Fran?ois-Joseph F?tis in 1840 ....
 than the home key, and the composition may continue naturally in that key.

A sequence does not have to modulate; a modulating sequence is known as a rosalia
Rosalia

*Rosalia is the Latin term for Greek Anthesteria . It may also refer to:people called Rosalia:*Saint Rosaliaplacenames:*Rosalia, Washington...
.

Common modulations


The most common modulations are to closely related key
Closely related key

In music, a closely related key is one sharing many common tones with the original key.In elementary harmony, these are the family of key s that shares either all pitch or all but one pitch with the key it is being compared to....
s. Modulation to the dominant
Dominant (music)

In music, the dominant is the fifth degree of the Scale . For example, in the C major scale , the dominant is the note G; and the dominant chord uses the notes G, B, and D....
 or the subdominant
Subdominant

In music, the subdominant is the technical name for the fourth tonal degree of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is the same distance "below" the Tonic as the dominant is above the tonic - in other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdominant....
 is relatively simple as they are adjacent steps on the circle of fifths
Circle of fifths

In music theory, the circle of fifths shows the relationships among the twelve tones of the chromatic scale, their corresponding key signatures, and the associated major and minor keys....
. Modulations to the relative major or minor are also simple, as these keys share all pitches in common. Modulation to distantly related keys is often done smoothly through using chords in successive related keys, such as through the circle of fifths, the entirety of which may be used in either direction:

C - G - D - A - E - B(C) - F(G) - C(D) - G(A) - D(E) - A(B) - E(F) - B(C)


If a given key were in G Major, the following chart could be used:

C --' G ' -- D

From G (which is the given key), a musician would go P5 (a perfect fifth) Above G (which is D) and also P5 below G (which is C).

From this, the musician would go to G Major's relative minor which is E minor, and potentially to C Major and D Major's related minor as well... a musician who does not know the related minor for C and D Major may also go BELOW or ABOVE E minor.

C-- G -- D ? ? ? a e b

By using the relative minor keys one can find the specific key that the key can MODULATE into.

Many musicians use the circle of fifths
Circle of fifths

In music theory, the circle of fifths shows the relationships among the twelve tones of the chromatic scale, their corresponding key signatures, and the associated major and minor keys....
' to find these keys and make similar charts to help with the modulation.

Significance


In certain classical music forms, a modulation can have structural significance. In sonata form
Sonata form

Sonata form is a musical form that has been used widely since the early Classical music era. While it is typically used in the first Movement of multimovement pieces, it is sometimes employed in subsequent movements as well....
, for example, a modulation separates the first subject from the second subject. Frequent changes of key characterize the development
Musical development

In European classical music, musical development is a process by which a musical idea is communicated in the course of a piece. It refers to the Transformation and Theme of initial material, and is often contrasted with musical Variation , which is a slightly different means to the same end....
 section of sonatas. Moving to the subdominant
Subdominant

In music, the subdominant is the technical name for the fourth tonal degree of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is the same distance "below" the Tonic as the dominant is above the tonic - in other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdominant....
 is a standard practice in the trio
Trio (music)

Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:*Three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.*The performance of a song by three people....
 section of a march in a major key, while a minor march will typically move to the relative major. From that relative major key and go up five steps or go down five steps will be the easiest way to find a new key.

Changes of key may also represent changes in mood; many composers associate certain keys with specific emotional content but, in very general terms, major keys are cheerful or heroic, while minors are sad and solemn. Moving from a lower key to a higher often indicates an increase in energy.

Change of key is not possible in the full chromatic or the twelve tone technique, as the modulatory space is completely filled; i.e., if every pitch is equal and ubiquitous there is nowhere else to go. Thus other differentiating methods are used, most importantly ordering and permutation
Permutation (music)

In music, a permutation of a set is a transformation of its prime form by applying zero or more of certain operations, specifically transposition , inversion , and retrograde....
. However, certain pitch formations may be used as a "tonic" or home area.

Other types

Though modulation generally refers to changes of key, any parameter may be modulated, particularly in music of the 20th and 21st century. Metric modulation
Metric modulation

In music a metric modulation is a change from one time signature/tempo to another, wherein a note value from the first is made equivalent to a note value in the second, like a pivot....
 (known also as tempo modulation) is the most common, while timbral modulation (gradual changes in tone color), and spatial modulation (changing the location from which sound occurs) are also used.

Modulation may also occur from a single tonality to a polytonality
Polytonality

The musical use of more than one key simultaneity is polytonality. Bitonality is the use of only two different keys at the same time.A well-known, controversial example is the fanfare at the beginning of the second tableau of Igor Stravinsky's ballet, Petrushka....
, often by beginning with a duplicated tonic chord and modulating the chords in contrary motion until the desired polytonality is reached.

See also

  • Polytonality
    Polytonality

    The musical use of more than one key simultaneity is polytonality. Bitonality is the use of only two different keys at the same time.A well-known, controversial example is the fanfare at the beginning of the second tableau of Igor Stravinsky's ballet, Petrushka....
  • Progressive tonality
    Progressive tonality

    Progressive tonality is the name given to the compositional practice whereby a piece of music does not finish in the key in which it began, but instead 'progresses' to an ending in a different key....


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