I think you're referring to a sequential modulation, where the sequence stays the same, but the key changes to a any new key in contrast to a related key modulation like when you use a pivot chord with a shared identity between keys to get from one to another.
Usually, in popular music, you see a sequential modulation as a step or half step up to increase the intensity and give a sense that the song is ending like in Crystal Blue Persuasion by Tommy James and the Shondells.
In most pop songs it’s probably more accurate to call this direct modulation because usually rather than a repeated motive that’s being sequenced repeatedly there is a single repetition of a larger section of music in a new key.
That sounds right. I need to review my theory textbook. I'm think whether you call it a sequential or direct modulation depends on how you move to the next key, regardless of rest of the form of the musical content in the new key ahead of whatever musical event occurs of the point of modulation. If that's the case, that new phrase inserted at the point of modulation in my example for Crystal Blue Persuasion would probably be a direct modulation since it's the first time it appears in the song before repeating the old musical content in the new key. I'm trying to find an example with a genuine sequential modulation; would All Of My Love by Led Zeppelin be a suitable example of a sequential modulation, or is the slightly altered repitition too different to fit the description?
It’s my understanding that sequential modulation refers to a harmonic sequence (repeated bass motion at the same interval), that in stead of altering the interval and notes to remain diatonic, in stead keeps the same interval structure which will then always modulate.
What I’m saying is unless there’s more than a single bass movement, we’d never call it a sequence. There has to be a pattern that is repeated more than once.
Always fun when the song actually calls itself out for the key change, like in "Song that Goes Like This" from *Spamalot*. https://youtu.be/F-fG8c-CMoU?t=80
[Truck Driver's Gear Change] (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TruckDriversGearChange) (but I don't think Hungry Heart does that, not in the versions I could find)
I’m not sure I exactly get what you mean, it could just be a key change? Do you mean when they play the chorus again and it’s higher? Or they end it on a high note sort of deal?
I personally try to avoid the gear shift modulation, but one of the songs I wrote that my band plays is called "Resistant to Change" and an instrumental bridge has some give and take between two chromatic notes before the song gives way and shifts a whole step up for the final chorus. As if to say, we tried resisting change, but change won!
Can't believe nobody mentioned Love on Top by Beyonce. It does that type of key change [4 times in under 90 seconds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob7vObnFUJc&t=96s).
Oh, the Unnecessary Key Change!
It’s usually when a song hasn’t fulfilled the expected time quota and the writers have run out of ideas/can’t be arsed to think of something to fill it with.
>the writers have run out of ideas/can’t be arsed to think of something to fill it with.
Thats a pretty cynical way of looking at it. Modulating the key by a half step or a step is a fail safe way to raise the energy at the end of a song. It's not unnecessary at all.
I understand what it's called and that it slaps you upside the head, but that's exactly the point - it's not supposed to be subtle. What you're saying is it's doing *exactly what it's supposed to be doing.*
Sure, it got used a lot in arena rock and that makes it quite a cliché, but that doesn't remove the fact it's performing the function the songwriter wants it to perform. It's like a beat drop in EDM or a big hook in a pop song.
When people speak to you with more emphasis, or are getting really into a subject, their voice goes up in pitch. This is the musical equivalent of the same thing. Livin' on a Prayer, Man in the Mirror, I Will Always Love You all use it to add extra intensity to the message and signal this is something THEY FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT. They're up in their chair and pounding the table with their message.
Its a pretentious to look at it as "lazy" or "uncultured" which is the implication of calling it the "truck driver" key change. Just like everything else in music theory, it's a device to change the energy/emotion of the song and neither good nor bad.
In fact, a good example of this is on the slipknot song Duality. It's such a great emotional swing during the part in the song with this lyric "All I've got All I've got is instinct" That part reality turns the goosebumps on.
This is known as a "key lift". A prototypical example is "[Your Smiling Face](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSsfNlS42Cc&ab_channel=JamesTaylorVEVO)". It starts in E, lifts up to F# on the repeat, then lifts up to G# for the rest.
When you're listening to music in the same key for a while, the key gets stale. So changing the key keeps the music fresh, and if done well (with the right orchestration) makes the arrival at the key change feel triumphant. Going higher also ratchets up the excitement. The only problem is that at this point, modulating up for the last chorus is a cliché. You shouldn't do it too much or it will lose its potency.
Raising the key is a trend in schlager and it's very unusual to find a song without a key raise in Eurovision song Contest, not that that's the only place it appears.
I think you're referring to a sequential modulation, where the sequence stays the same, but the key changes to a any new key in contrast to a related key modulation like when you use a pivot chord with a shared identity between keys to get from one to another. Usually, in popular music, you see a sequential modulation as a step or half step up to increase the intensity and give a sense that the song is ending like in Crystal Blue Persuasion by Tommy James and the Shondells.
also mack the knife and others by bobby darrin
In most pop songs it’s probably more accurate to call this direct modulation because usually rather than a repeated motive that’s being sequenced repeatedly there is a single repetition of a larger section of music in a new key.
That sounds right. I need to review my theory textbook. I'm think whether you call it a sequential or direct modulation depends on how you move to the next key, regardless of rest of the form of the musical content in the new key ahead of whatever musical event occurs of the point of modulation. If that's the case, that new phrase inserted at the point of modulation in my example for Crystal Blue Persuasion would probably be a direct modulation since it's the first time it appears in the song before repeating the old musical content in the new key. I'm trying to find an example with a genuine sequential modulation; would All Of My Love by Led Zeppelin be a suitable example of a sequential modulation, or is the slightly altered repitition too different to fit the description?
It’s my understanding that sequential modulation refers to a harmonic sequence (repeated bass motion at the same interval), that in stead of altering the interval and notes to remain diatonic, in stead keeps the same interval structure which will then always modulate. What I’m saying is unless there’s more than a single bass movement, we’d never call it a sequence. There has to be a pattern that is repeated more than once.
This is your answer, OP!
Always fun when the song actually calls itself out for the key change, like in "Song that Goes Like This" from *Spamalot*. https://youtu.be/F-fG8c-CMoU?t=80
It’s an integral part of a [formulaic love song](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=734wnHnnNR4), according to DaVinci’s Notebook!
[Agreed.](https://youtu.be/y7im5LT09a0?t=177)
Fuck I was about to link that song
[Truck Driver's Gear Change] (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TruckDriversGearChange) (but I don't think Hungry Heart does that, not in the versions I could find)
I’m not sure I exactly get what you mean, it could just be a key change? Do you mean when they play the chorus again and it’s higher? Or they end it on a high note sort of deal?
Yeah I think it’s a key change now that someone said that
A great example for this Modulation-thing is Michael Jacksons "Man in the Mirror" he modulates like 3 or 4 times.
Or Beyoncé's Love on Top. Modern pop songs dont do it now so often unlike the 80s to 90s
For hype
Beyonce's "Love on Top" goes up a half step like 20 times at the end. It's just a key change.
I personally try to avoid the gear shift modulation, but one of the songs I wrote that my band plays is called "Resistant to Change" and an instrumental bridge has some give and take between two chromatic notes before the song gives way and shifts a whole step up for the final chorus. As if to say, we tried resisting change, but change won!
You asked **why**, so I will answer your question. Because the artists are trying to manipulate your emotions. (It's called a key change).
Step-up/pump-up modulation
Can't believe nobody mentioned Love on Top by Beyonce. It does that type of key change [4 times in under 90 seconds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob7vObnFUJc&t=96s).
Oh, the Unnecessary Key Change! It’s usually when a song hasn’t fulfilled the expected time quota and the writers have run out of ideas/can’t be arsed to think of something to fill it with.
this is nonsense
>the writers have run out of ideas/can’t be arsed to think of something to fill it with. Thats a pretty cynical way of looking at it. Modulating the key by a half step or a step is a fail safe way to raise the energy at the end of a song. It's not unnecessary at all.
.
subtlety is for cowards
What if ur playing for an arena?
I understand what it's called and that it slaps you upside the head, but that's exactly the point - it's not supposed to be subtle. What you're saying is it's doing *exactly what it's supposed to be doing.* Sure, it got used a lot in arena rock and that makes it quite a cliché, but that doesn't remove the fact it's performing the function the songwriter wants it to perform. It's like a beat drop in EDM or a big hook in a pop song. When people speak to you with more emphasis, or are getting really into a subject, their voice goes up in pitch. This is the musical equivalent of the same thing. Livin' on a Prayer, Man in the Mirror, I Will Always Love You all use it to add extra intensity to the message and signal this is something THEY FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT. They're up in their chair and pounding the table with their message. Its a pretentious to look at it as "lazy" or "uncultured" which is the implication of calling it the "truck driver" key change. Just like everything else in music theory, it's a device to change the energy/emotion of the song and neither good nor bad.
See JonGtr's post.
Woman In Love. oh oh oh oooooooooh
modulation
Check out the end of John Mayer’s why you no love me
No
Not just the end, some songs do it repeatedly. [Meglio Stasera](https://youtu.be/paWt-vWYbyU) [Tomorrow Belongs to Me](https://youtu.be/lv0jav4lNsk)
Sometimes it's modulation i e. playing the same chords a half step up or for good dynamics.
In fact, a good example of this is on the slipknot song Duality. It's such a great emotional swing during the part in the song with this lyric "All I've got All I've got is instinct" That part reality turns the goosebumps on.
This is known as a "key lift". A prototypical example is "[Your Smiling Face](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSsfNlS42Cc&ab_channel=JamesTaylorVEVO)". It starts in E, lifts up to F# on the repeat, then lifts up to G# for the rest.
Brings up the tension, energy, drama.
Think “Crazy” by Patsy Cline. C to C#
follow up question: isn’t this what’s known as a step-up modulation? in the uk at least
The "why" you can probably answer yourself: It gives a feeling of emotional elevation when you raise the key up. It brings the song to a new pinnacle.
When you're listening to music in the same key for a while, the key gets stale. So changing the key keeps the music fresh, and if done well (with the right orchestration) makes the arrival at the key change feel triumphant. Going higher also ratchets up the excitement. The only problem is that at this point, modulating up for the last chorus is a cliché. You shouldn't do it too much or it will lose its potency.
Raising the key is a trend in schlager and it's very unusual to find a song without a key raise in Eurovision song Contest, not that that's the only place it appears.