Modulation Essentials - How to Modulate a Song 1

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Instructor

Jonny May

Course Type

Workshop

Skill Level

Beginner

Intermediate

Duration

01:32:19

In this workshop, you’ll learn everything you need to know about modulation, including how to use it, when to use it and why you should use it.

Using the Danny Boy lead sheet as an example, we’ll discuss various techniques for modulating this song. We’ll learn 4 common types of modulations, one of which can be used when accompanying singers. Jonny will reveal the ‘5 Chord Trick’ which will enable you to modulate a song to any key. We’ll learn 6 essential modulations – stock, pop, jazz, lift, double lift, and a grand modulation.

By the end of this workshop, you’ll be equipped to modulate any arrangement or lead sheet!

Course Objectives

Master the basics of modulation including how to use it, when to use it, and why you should use it
Learn various ways of modulating the Danny Boy lead sheet
Discover 4 common types of modulation: 3 lift modulations for arrangements and 1 range modulation for accompanying singers
Unlock the '5 chord trick,' which will enable you to modulate a song to any key
Master 6 essential modulations: stock, pop, jazz, lift, double lift, and grand modulation

Learning Focus

Analysis
Chords

Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

John Falconer verified

So Much New (to me) Information! I will be back!

Great course! This is my first brush with modulations. I need to get a lot better at chord fluency before I can expect to do spontaneous modulations. Until then, I will learn Jonny's modulations from the SmartSheet and try to generalize those techniques.

Ranajay Majumdar verified

Enlightening

The Grand modulation was a Revelation

Victoria Shirley verified

Important and Challenging Concepts

6 exciting options for modulating in a song, but will require time for me to assimilate each concept and apply them to other keys. Worth the effort in the long run!!

Wai Nga, Gloria Lam verified

Super useful and cool

The way which Jonny explains the fundamental concepts of different modulation and the short-cut of memorizing chord extension make so much fun and easy to understand. A must do course!

Brett Buckland verified

New, exciting and useful

This course is great for demystifying the concept of changing keys during a song. The fact that you can use the same concept no matter what key you're going from and to is awesome. It really comes down to the idea of leading in to the new key by playing some other chords in that key before the start of the new phrase, similar to cymbal swell giving a cue to an upcoming crash, or how the music or visuals of the next scene fade in before the scene starts. It softens what would otherwise be a jarring, sudden change

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