Key Change

kylek · Post by **kylek** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 2:31 pm

Is there any given method of figuring out what key to change to when putting a key change in a song?

I am writing a song that I know would sound pretty awesome to have a key change in it, but I can't figure out what to change it to?

any takers?

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:39 pm

what do you hear? typically a key change does one of three things. brightens up an otherwise dark song by going to a brighter sounding key, up a whole step to make the ending of the song more dramatic, or modulate to another key to ease the transition into another song/movement. There is a CD floating around of Barry Manilow's Greatest Modulations, which is actually quite helpful for study. It's 30 second clips of the band modulating and what he does vocally to make the transition. It's kind of corny (hey, it's Barry Manilow), but if you can find you can learn a lot.

=^-..-^= · Post by **=^-..-^=** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 4:42 pm

Bassjones recommending Barry Manilow. . .

Isn't that one of the signs of the Apocalypse given in the Book of Revelation?

kylek · Post by **kylek** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:05 pm

bassjones you are the man..

What I want it to do is go from a chorus into a bridge/interlude/solo type segment into a chorus that is higher.

So that means not only to preserve some sense of fluidity, I need to write a bridge that modulates keys to go into the second chorus which is transposed a whole step higher than the original part, correct?

Also would the second higher chorus be the same "chords" per-se just a whole step higher, or would I actually need to transcribe them into the second key?

lol.... what a bunch of music theory dorks?

just call me n00b

Brandon · Post by **Brandon** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:23 pm

If you're just modulating a whole step, you don't necessarily need a whole section to make the transition. You can try to go directly into the new key, or a chromatic walk up.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:37 pm

kylek · Post by **kylek** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:53 pm

The section is there because it breaks up the song and is intended to be there, then it comes back into the final chorus and I think it sounds a lot better to have the first chorus/bridge/last chorus, as opposed to the chorus, and then the keychange ending.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 6:58 am

=^-..-^= wrote:Bassjones recommending Barry Manilow. . .

Isn't that one of the signs of the Apocalypse given in the Book of Revelation?

Strictly for a study of modulation in pop music. And only those 30 second clips - even then, limit your exposure to no more than 10 minutes a day

Easiest way to modulate in this instance is to come out of the bridge by hitting the tonic of the old key, then chromatically walking up to the new tonic - assuming a whole step modulation.