20b Lesson - Advanced Modulatory Techniques

Class discussion

Modulations

1. Direct – no warning, happens around phrases, also called “phrase modulations.”

2. Pivot chord – involves a chord that is common to both keys, often happens in the middle of a phrase, uses smooth voice-leading to get to the new key.

3. Common tone – involves a tone that is common to both keys, common tone is sustained and often isolated before the key change, identify the scale degree in both keys (rather than the Roman numeral chord function).

Pairs of Modulations

1. Modulation 1

• Two phrases, second one modulates.
• Begins in C major, ends in Db major.
• Second phrase, second beat is a pivot chord.

1. Modulation 2

• Two phrases, second one modulates.
• Begins in C major, ends in Eb major.
• Both of these modulations use mode mixture pivot chords.
• Pivot chord modulation via borrowed chord.

1. Modulation 3

• Two phrases, second one modulates.
• Modulation via enharmonic spelling of a viio7 chord.
• Bo7 = G#o7 enharmonically.

Because this chord is symmetrical, enharmonically it can be four different chords, thus it can naturally resolve to four different chords. In this case, Bo7 resolves to C, and G#o7 resolves to A

1. Modulation 4

• Two phrases, second one modulates.
• Bo7 = E#o7 enharmonically.
• Bo7 resolves to C, Eo7 resolves to F#.

Notice that the spelling affects the key to which the chord will resolve (don’t resolve a Bo7 chord to A even though enharmonically it’s the same)

1. Modulation 5

• Two phrases, second one modulates (in bars 4-5).
• F-natural is spelled as E# in bar 5.
• G7 becomes a Ger6 in B major.

This is a second kind of enharmonic modulation. Dominant seventh becomes a Ger6. These chords are enharmonically the same. But the spelling affects the places to which they can resolve.

1. Modulation 6

• We didn’t really get to this one but it’s another enharmonic dominant/Ger6 modulation.
• We briefly talked about each Fr6 being enharmonically functional in two keys.