What’s the point of changing keys anyway?

[@franckhorner]

Hi Ryan! I recreated Fawkes the Phoenix in A major throughout. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4PCpqmHlJKprac Without modulation, it obviously lacks color and mood changes comparing to the original piece...

[@RyanLeach]

Amazing, thanks for doing that!

[@franckhorner]

@@RyanLeach Thank you! Transposing from C major / G major to A major and editing the pivot chords didn't take much time, but changing A minor to A major was a bit tricky. I think the orchestration texture and melody of that part was designed only for a minor key context.

[@ChrisOatley]

Color Keys Hey, buddy! Great video. I think a more accurate way to describe the visual art equivalent of changing key in music is to change the color palette. An individual color choice is more like an individual note in music. (Some old color theory and painting books actually refer to individual marks/ strokes of color in a painting as “notes.”) A chord is more like a localized combination color “notes.” For example, a group of light blue “notes” for the shadow-side of a cloud against a group of yellow-white “notes” to indicate the light side of the same cloud. A key change in music is more like an entire palette change in visual storytelling. For example - When the Godfather suddenly switches from golds to reds or when The Matrix switches from orangey browns to the iconic “Matrix green.” At the beginning of Finding Nemo, the palette begins with the full, expansive palette that we see throughout most of the first act but immediately after Marlin’s family dies, everything goes to deep, dark purple. (Nemo is full of palette switches. Watch it again to look for it and you’ll be amazed how many times they do it.) The Alex Garland film “Ex Machina” and Bo Burnham’s “Eighth Grade” apply very similar “key changes” in their color palettes despite the extremely different subject matters. Palette changes happen often in visual storytelling (not just movies but comics, games, illustration…). Maybe not as often as music changes key but I think it’s the most accurate comparison.

[@gavinleepermusic]

Excellent as always Ryan! Funny enough, we had a related discussion on my Discord server the other day about a related topic: how to choose a key for your song. Why not write everything in C major and then modulate for contrast? We eventually landed on the idea that every instrument has resonant frequencies, and a given key will bring out a particular set of resonance frequencies. Clever key selection, I've heard you discuss, can also help you do things like taking advantage of a stringed instrument's open strings or a shakuhachi's resonance when it has all of its holes covered. Relatedly, in songwriting there are also "guitar keys" and "horn keys" that specifically jive well for those instruments, and are helpful for beginner players. Once a singer is involved, the key selection process primarily revolves around where their range breaks are, etc. Anyway, all that to say that implied in the background of the question "Why modulate?" is also the question "What key should I use?" I hear that D minor is the saddest 😉

[@tljmusic]

I’m learning to see modes as colors with which to paint and express various emotions. Finding ways to artfully switch between them can express feeling in ways that make lyrics almost unnecessary. Yet when you find a lyric or line to match it… goosebumps!

[@Ph_Blais]

Contrast and progress. Thanks Ryan, that really makes sense. I would add that contrast is the effect of modulation on the small scale. I mean instantly, how it feels that we modulate. Whereas progress is the effect of modulation on the bigger scale/story telling. It tells the listener if you take the peice of music as a whole, then you are in another chapter of the story.

[@BahamutBreaker]

Great example using the Harry Potter movie song to demonstrate modulation. The shift from A to C to Am to G is a great representation of how modulation works, without being overly complicated or unnecessarily fancy for the sake of fanciness. In pop/rock music, my favorite two examples of modulation are Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On a Prayer”, and more recently, “Absolution Calling”, by Incubus. The key modulation in both songs occurs near each song’s end, giving the final chorus a boost in energy that grabs the listener’s ear very well. For the Bon Jovi song, which is mostly in Em, the last chorus modulates up a minor third, to Gm. “Absolution Calling” has its verses in B, and most of its choruses modulated to A (using the same ii - I - V progression in both parts). However, the song’s final chorus does *not* modulate down to A. Instead that last chorus stays in B, which makes that final chorus feel more alive and more synchronous with the verses and bridge.

[@5BBassist4Christ]

One of the most unique modulations I have ever heard came from a local band in Kansas City back in 2007. They went from G-Mixolydian with a lot of chromaticism to E major. The song is called The Orthodox by Empathy (it is available on Spotify and other streaming platforms). The band consisted of two young men named Ryan and Sean. Both sang while Sean lead on piano and Ryan played drums. Either they tracked guitar/bass separately for the album or else hired musicians, but the bedrock of their sound was piano/drum driven rock music. They only released one album called Everytime I Turn the Radio On, however other albums were released by other people under the same name Empathy, however Ryan/Sean's album receives the most plays on Spotify's algorithm, consisting of 3 songs in the top 5, and 5 of the top 10. The intro and verse centers around a piano/drum syncopated grove around G-F2-C/E before going to a pre-chorus which alternates between Am and Dm, which is approached with chromatic line-cliches. At the end of the pre-chorus it lifts from Dm to D/F# and resolves back on the G. The chorus is difficult for me to figure out. It sounds like it descends from G-Dm/F-Em7-Eb-D-D/F#-G. After resolving back to the G it sets up the second verse. After the second verse it goes to a keyboard solo which heavily establishes a G-Mixolydian vibe, going from G-Dm-Fm-C-G/B-Dm-Fm-C. It ends the solo with a bridge that establishes a strong G-Ionian vibe. It starts out with only piano before building up with some light drums and bass, Em-D-G-G/B-C-G. At the end of the bridge it completely destroys tonality with a lot of chromatic approaches before finally landing on the outro groove in E, -C#m-B-E E/G#-A-E

[@PhilipSportel]

I've been experimenting with harmonic minor scales and major third modulations. What I've found is this is a very low-contrast way of doing modulation. It opens up three interconnected scales and a wider tonal pallette, but pushes me to find my contrast elsewhere. Music is infinitely fascinating because you can always find more patterns within it and there are exceptions to every rule.

[@teemulampela1813]

I sometimes use different keys to get main instruments in nice range. For example if a melody is first introduced on oboe but then want to repeat with say flute, i might modulate to get the flute in best possible register for the melody.

[@SpencerRussellSmithAuthor]

I don't have a source for 18th-century/classical audiences being able to tell if a piece began/ended in the same key, but during my theory and music history courses at University, my professors constantly emphasized how (for the audiences that could afford/had the time to attend concerts where this music would have been played), music theory was a part of their education, and since there were "rules" for most classical/concert music that was performed, the audiences would have "more educated" ears, which led to the apparent "riots" at the premier of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, and heavy backlash and criticism of what we consider some of the music amazing/exemplary pieces of classical music (such as Beethoven's Symphonies) Aside from that, I would love to know more about any "effects" you've noticed from writing/listening to film scores as far as changing keys a certain distance away (ex: Does changing from C to A have a noticeably different effect overall than changing from C to Ab or G) and, do modern listeners seem to have an expectation that despite the key changes, the music will return to the original key at the end? Or is that just a compulsion of mine from a more classical education? Love your videos, Ryan!

[@VambraceMusic]

What a great question. Hoping for an answer!

[@GizzyDillespee]

Modern media audiences don't know or care if a track ends in the same key it started... However, with social media formats that loop videos, I've noticed creators pay more attention to creating a somewhat seamless loop (even classic stuff, such as Tonebase shorts here on YT. Also, with game music, sometimes it has to be able to loop. So, there are some scenarios now that we're created by new technology. Cool, now I'll get a notification when/if Ryan answers🤣

[@AnnaMuzyka54]

Competently about modulation, never too much. Please make a video about different methods and their effects.

[@MusicByMack]

Howard Goodall described modulating to walking through different rooms, too. Great minds!

[@eoincten]

18th century audiences couldn't necessarily follow every step of the modulations unless they had some well-trained ears, but they could tell when the music had reached the home key. The timpani were used in pairs tuned to the tonic and dominant, and unlike the modern timpani couldn't be easily re-tuned in the middle of a piece. So once you heard the drums kick in, it was a clear sign that you had reached either the tonic or dominant key.

[@SmooSP]

8:06 Yes, please make a video on how to modulate! Would love to hear your advice on the techniques/execution of it!

[@alexs8803]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the effort you put into your videos. I'm a noob who only really started studying music theory last month, and while I have been able to absorb the material without too much issue; you definitely cover the "why" in a way that makes it a lot easier for me to put it all into a meaningful context.

[@dodososese3340]

This is a question I’ve had for a long time! Thank you for answering it so thoughtfully.

[@rodterrell304]

Ryan, this is very helpful. I will use this in my compositions.

[@homan-awa]

i was just wondering about this recently and now there's a video on it, thanks :)

[@FilmScoreandMore]

Great video with great examples! John Williams is always a welcome source. I'm not 100% sure, but I think that sinister section is some variation on the Chamber of Secrets Theme. I can hear some similarities, but it may or may not be a direct quotation. It could just be the general style and sound. Either way, it's obviously effective and brings that contrast needed. The following key change brings that sense of relief and, of course, lift! I also like the progress bar at the bottom of the screen for the "sponsor" section that tells viewers this will only be a few seconds.

[@musik9089]

Perfect Question, i was wondering about before quiet a bit. Now i just need to choose when to instead substitute chords, change instruments, make variations or change key. Maybe a video about when to choose which tool for contrast ? 😅

[@joesu4777]

Excellent video. I do have a question: One thing you mentioned was that the key of G sounds brighter because it has one more sharp than C. This certainly makes sense, but I wonder if it's because the sharp has the inherent ability to give that effect, or it's because in this case, shifting to the key of G made everything up in register. For example, would Ab be a "darker" key even though it's technically higher in pitch than the key of G just because it has more flats?

[@j.lindback]

I believe he is referring to moving up the circle of fifths, which is a well-established method of achieving a brighter sound. There's nothing inherently brighter about the sharp, it just happens to be the next key in the circle of fifths. Ab would not necessarily be brighter than G, it's all about the context (i.e. which key came before?).

[@joesu4777]

​@@j.lindbackI see, thanks for the reply. Just a thought: if there was a piece where it modulated from G to Ab, would that make it sound brighter despite moving down the circle of fifths?

[@musikhunden6694]

​@@joesu4777I would think if you modulated by raising all the notes a semitone then it would sound brighter, but if you did it by lowering all the notes 11 semitones then it would sound darker. I don't understand what the circle of fifths has to do with it. If you modulate a fifth in either direction then a motif would have to be played a fifth/fourth higher/lower. Depending on if you pick the higher or lower alternative octave wise, that should determine if it sounds brighter or darker.

[@musikhunden6694]

But to add to my own reply... I do still think that regardless of the frequency of the notes being higher or lower, different modulations feel a certain way based on how the different keys relate to each other. And that feel/vibe is probably gonna be there even if the modulation is made less obvious, for example by changing register/motif/instrumentation.

[@ShigaruFR]

Hi ! I'd like clarification on the terminology for the Harry potter score. I've learnt that it's not a modulation if the harmoney stays the same, but is instead called a transposition. The two are close in spirit but compositions like octopath traveller use modulation because the B part of most OSTs change key AND chords and melody; whereas Davy Jones theme for example shift the tonal center up a minor third twice during the piece without modifying existing harmony. Please correct me if I'm wrong

[@RyanLeach]

I’ve never heard this about the harmony having to change. I think the Wikipedia definition is fairly standard: “In music, modulation is the change from one tonality (tonic, or tonal center) to another.”

[@greenatom]

I would very much like to see your take on modulation.

[@KaretosLP]

While I generally agree with the points in this video, the comparison by Walter Piston, that a composition in only one key is like painting a picture with only color, doesn’t sit right with me. I would agree, if he stated that a composition in only CHORD would be the equivalent of paining in only one color, but I would say a whole KEY still gives plenty of room for a harmonic journey, thus the emotional expression achieved by a multi-coloured painting. I would say, that it would be like painting in an specific Color grading, maybe? Or only in contrasts? That I can’t give a satisfying answer to. Still, a good tool for visualisation, but I feel, that the comparison only misses the mark by a little bit. Which is also the nature of most comparisons. Good video tho, very much enjoyed it!

[@RyanLeach]

to be fair to Walter that was my weak analogy not his

[@Marcotonio]

I remember being confused by this. "Ok, Bach wrote a Prelude and a Fugue on each key, but... why does it matter? Isn't that as silly as writing 26 stories that start with each letter of the alphabet?" But then I learned about temperament and how each key has a slightly different sound in older instruments, making for actual (slight) harmonic differences. In terms of what is explained in this video, about contrast WITHIN a song/context, it is way more understandable why you'd want to change keys despite equal temperament: contrast. This is a satisfying answer. On the other hand, if you're not limited to specific instruments/singers etc, is there ever a reason to choose to start a song not in C Major?

[@gaopinghu7332]

Well, if you had two pieces in a playlist and both of them start in the same key, you might hear the consonance. If you wanted your playlist to be more chaotic, you may consider starting on F# the second time. It's a pretty small detail, but I think it's important enough to consider.

[@RyanLeach]

Exactly, contrast on a wider scale

[@Roescoe]

"On the other hand, if you're not limited to specific instruments/singers etc, is there ever a reason to choose to start a song not in C Major?" people have vague "perfect pitch" in the sense that if a melody is very low or high it will be noticeably unusual. Maybe it's because people hear voices and they have a range. Also other sounds like cars and animals give a normal range.

[@ZeroKami86]

I love this, definitely would also like to see a how-to as well! I've seen some how-to videos on modulation but more on the topic provides more perspective, which I am all about. How-to videos are great, but Why-to/When-to videos definitely need to be a thing. I'm an uneducated/untrained composer/hobbyist, so I eat these things up. Though, I guess if I keep using amazing videos like this I won't be able to claim being uneducated much longer XD

[@ZorryimL8]

My favorite use of this is when artists transpose from a major to a minor. It has this enigmatic mystique and mystical beauty. Especially when it’s strings accompanied by a cello or flute.

[@ChrisWolfMusic-mh8uy]

Hey Ryan, I hope you're doing well. I had an interesting idea for a video that I would like to see from you. Could you tell us a bit about workflow between DAW and Notation software? Do you start in your DAW and make it sound beautiful, then export it to your Notation Software to clean up the score? Or do you start in Notation Software to be able to visually see the musical relationships and then export it to DAW to fine tune the sound? Does it depend on the project? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic.

[@RyanLeach]

It does depend on the style yea. If it’s more synth based or production is a major component (like a TV library track) I’ll probably just do it in Logic. If it’s orchestral and I want to be more purposeful I’ll start in Dorico and only move to Logic for the final mockup. And I would only ever go from DAW to notation if there were live players involved which most of the time there aren’t!

[@royjohnson3361]

Are there any music theories that discuss how to achieve a certain specific effect by certain key changes? ex. want the music to be more exciting, modulate up a 5th (or 3rd or whatever). want it darker, go to a minor key a 3rd below. etc.

[@rasmusn.e.m1064]

The thing about audiences being able to tell whether a piece starts and ends in the same key, maybe that was from around the time of Bach and before because 12tet wasn't established yet? Might be wrong about that. Otherwise, it might just be because the non-modern instruments sound more different in different keys than they do today: Flutes from before the modern Boehm system with all of those keys sound wildly different when they have to use cross-fingerings, for example. So, if you started and ended in an easy/open key that is also major and alternate with a minor key that requires many cross-fingerings, you'd get an even greater boost of consonance and "majorness" at the end.

[@chasvox2]

Excellent as always....

[@NomeDeArte]

4:55 Argentina campeón del mundo 🇦🇷

[@TDuncPiano]

Great video! :)

[@LaurieSuppleOfficial]

Because it’s dope next question

[@jackeris1302]

I would like to see a how to video. The more in depth the better

[@danielfaller5617]

Maybe using electronic music, there is a lot more opportunity to drastically change the sound and it can at least partly replace modulation. I have a question which may be talked about in a future video. The Last Of The Mohicans: The Kiss, is it in F major? Maybe its ovious to some of you, but its just so weired that almost the whole piece uses the submediant chord. It starts and ends with it, but it only makes sense that its a four chord song without the subdominant. Otherwise there is no dominant chord which seems equally weired to me.

[@ManOkaR]

I was taught that Modulation is not a simple change of key, but also a transposition of all the notes (or at least the melody, with harmony allowed to use inversions) according to the raise/lowering of the key. Which means, you can't change key from A-minor to G-major and call it a modulation, you gotta keep the same mode and transpose the notes. Otherwise it's a key change, not modulation.

[@dylankrejci9965]

Liked the video for the community reference alone

[@ericleiter6179]

Actually Mozart ending his 40th Symphony in G minor was unusual for the time, as most Minor key symphonies and sonatas ended in the parallel major...but there are always wonderful exceptions of course

[@RyanLeach]

First movement of Symphony 25 in G minor ends in G minor. First movement of Piano Sonata 8 in A minor ends in A minor. Number 14 in C minor ends in C minor...

[@ericleiter6179]

Yes, Mozart is an exception...but that's him. Haydn's 34th, 45th, 78th, 80th, 83rd, and 95th symphonies all start in minor but end in major...Beethoven's 5th and 9th end in major, and we're so powerful that this came to be seen as a journey from dark to light and inspired this trend in virtually every other late classical and romantic composer for the next 75 years...with the exception of Mendelssohn's 4th which started in major and ends in minor

[@ericleiter6179]

I guess if you're point is only about the first movements though, then yes, virtually every first movement in a minor key ends in that same minor key...sorry I misunderstood your parameters here!

[@Guitar-academia-jaffna]

Superb

[@Vipoke]

Cool!

[@High-Tech-Geek]

at 5:09, what movie is this where the girl is hiding and conducting?

[@RyanLeach]

Copying Beethoven

[@High-Tech-Geek]

​@@RyanLeachThanks!

[@RyanLeach]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 How to CHANGE MODE like a HOLLYWOOD COMPOSER kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJzZgnd7p8mIbqs

[@karlrovey]

Despite the supposed lack of difference between keys in Equal Temperament, certain keys still seem to retain distinctive characteristics. The keys of C#/Db and F#/Gb seem to have a warmer sound than their neighbors a half step above or below.

[@SendyTheEndless]

*dance music has entered the chat*

[@SamStormsKBD]

One of the reasons ive been enjoying symphonic metal (mostly Nightwish and Epica) is that they modulate quite often and yes, it gives a nice contrast between Chorus and Bridge or Bridge A to Bridge B. It's even hard to listen or play a song that doesn't modulate. Sounds dull 😂

[@matthewlong9369]

I am nitpicking, but you seem like someone who desires accuracy. At 4:31 it is Symphony 40, not 41

[@potapotapotapotapotapota]

I think modulating from major to minor and back again works well, but most songs that modulate from major to major just do it really tacky

[@rustybuquet4145]

Finally somebody said it. GOD ONLY INTENDED MAN TO SING IN MIDDLE C

[@yomgaille]

You got me at "It's a bottle episode" 😅 very interesting indeed, but you could have warned people against the infamous "truck driver's gear change" as heard in too many songs including "I Will Always Love You", it gives me the creeps every time 🤢

[@koybrei6168]

Nope Atonal just kidding, 1:27

[@PabloGambaccini]

The melody for the modulation example was almost like the LICK XD

[@enriquesanchez2001]

Hehe 40 is in G MINOR... you said 41

[@garygimmestad4272]

Why begin with framing it as boring versus interesting? You actually make the real point very effectively in showing the connection between the story and the dramatic function of key changes. The reason for changing keys isn’t to avoid boredom (I don’t think Walter Piston thinks so either), it’s to advance the story. The boring versus interesting bit unnecessarily dumbs down the lesson. Just my opinion. Otherwise, we’ll done!