Modulation

A change of key within a piece of music, so that a new tonal centre replaces the old one.

Modulation is one of the strongest structural devices available, since it changes the emotional temperature of a song without changing anything else about it. A move to the dominant or the relative minor sounds natural and is very common, while a jump to a distant key is dramatic and usually short-lived. The classic guitar trick of shifting every shape up a whole tone for the final chorus is a blunt but extremely effective modulation.

Example: A song that moves up a tone for its final chorus to lift the ending has modulated.

Modulation

See also