While F# ø7 functions as vii of G, the B7 seems a bit out of place. The tonal center is confirmed with a I – ii7 – iii – IV progression beginning at 0:11.Īfter a single repetition of the diatonic progression, the tonality becomes a bit ambiguous. Let’s take a look at just one (okay, maybe two) of the modulations present in this song. Some of the modulations are so fluid that it’s hard to determine the tonality without transcription and analysis. This late-Beatles classic is rife with key changes. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think the title, “Here, There, Everywhere,” was alluding to the tonal center of this song. THE BEATLES – “HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE” Now that we’ve laid the foundation, let’s see how the pros do it. Because C major and G major are closely related keys (and thus, have several chords in common), we are at liberty to use more than one. Notice there are two pivot chords here: Em and Am. Here’s an example of a pivot chord modulation from C major to G major. Pivot chords are the chords that we’ve actually chosen to use in our modulation. This is going to be our point of transition into the new key.Ĭommon chords are merely the chords that two keys have in common. Now that we have identified the common chords in these two keys, we will choose the chord(s) on which to pivot. The chords that appear in both C major and G major (C, G, Am, Em) are called “common chords”-creative name, eh? Notice that these two keys have a few chords in common. The first step is identifying the diatonic chords in each key. Let’s say we want to use diatonic common chord modulation to move from C major to G major. This chord acts as a pivot, which links the two keys and allows for a smooth transition between them. That is, a chord that is shared by the home and destination keys. Key changes can be made to sound very fluid by using a common chord. On the bright side, I can help you to make sense of them and show you how to apply these concepts to your own compositions. Unfortunately, when dealing with music theory many terms sound more scientific than musical. These terms can sound pretty intimidating in you’re unfamiliar. There are two types of common chord modulation: This allows the composer to make drastic changes through subtle nuance. Unlike direct modulation, it can often go unnoticed by the untrained ear. To give an analogy… Direct modulation is like jumping from the home key to the destination key.Ĭommon chord modulation is like stepping one foot into the destination key before the other.Ĭommon chord modulation is a great method of moving from one key to another, without drawing much attention. This is a glaring contrast to the abrupt- (and sometimes cheesy-) sounding direct modulation that we explored in part 1. Today we’re going to be taking a look at technique used by composers and songwriters from Beethoven to The Beatles: common chord modulation.Ĭommon chord modulation is, in a word, subtle. If you haven’t seen it you can check it out here. I hope you enjoyed the last discussion on direct modulation.
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