Week 5

Date:  2^nd September

During our week 5 lesson we looked at Harmonic Modulations.  “Modulations changing from one key area to another” this could be Major to minor 1. This is typically used to give a song a lift to grab the listener’s attention. Modulations in songs mostly include a “pivot or transitions” chords this is to harmonically transition smoothly to another key 2. There are 5 most commonly used modulations methods they are:

1. Relative Major to Relative Minor (or reverse)  
2. Common chords (chords can function differently in a different key)
3. Change chord function: from minor to major
4. Change chord function from minor to major
5. Arrangers Modulation or abrupt modulation

In my song “the truth” I change key to A minor to A Major this is a modulation. This is not the most commonly used modulation.

Three songs I found that had modulations were

“I wanna dance with somebody by Whitney Houston 3.

‘All I Ask” by Adele Adkins 4.

“Love on Top” By Beyoncé 5.

This was a part of the discussion topic next week. The reason I chose these songs was because they are such beautiful capturing songs that almost all three use modulations at the end of the songs.

That ended our lesson.

References

1 Robyn Habel, “Harmony Part 2: Harmonic Modulation” (lecture presented at the course Song Writing and Performance 1B, Elder Conservatorium, University of Adelaide, September 2^nd , 2019).

2  Robyn Habel, “Harmony Part 2: Harmonic Modulation” (lecture presented at the course Song Writing and Performance 1B, Elder Conservatorium, University of Adelaide, September 2^nd , 2019).

3 Merrill, S. R. a. G., 1987. I Wanna Dance with Somebody. [Sound Recording] (Arista).

4 Adkins, A., 2015. All I Ask. [Sound Recording] (XL).

5 Beyonce, 2011. Love on Top. [Sound Recording] (Columbia ).