For most of the songs you’ll write, you’ll likely use the same key throughout. If you do happen to change key, the mostly common scenario is to put the verse in a minor key and then switch to the relative major for the chorus, like Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend.” That’s pretty standard, and […]
Most of the time, a song will start and end in the same key without ever changing. But once in a while, it can be interesting for the audience if they hear the music move off to some new key, even if that key change is just temporary. In music theory terms, it’s called “modulation.” […]
Let’s say that you’ve got a verse that consists of a short melody and chord progression that repeats several times before it reaches the chorus. That might start to sound boring to you, and I want to suggest a way to alleviate that boring sense of repetition. How much a short melody can or should repeat before moving […]
Songs, especially in the pop genres, normally end in the same key they start in. But every once in a while you’ll come across songs that feature key changes in various spots. This is called modulation in music theory circles. One of the most common key changes happens in the final chorus repeats, when the key […]
Get the songwriting ebook package that thousands of songwriters are now using to take their music to its highest level of excellence. “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 10-eBook Deluxe Bundle is currently ON SALE. Read more.. ________________ Regarding the changing of key within the same song (called modulation), the songs that start in minor for the verses […]
“The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 10-eBook Bundle covers every aspect of songwriting, from creating chord progressions, to writing melodies and lyrics, and much more. Now with an 11th FREE eBook. Read more… ______________ Changing key is otherwise known as modulation in music circles. Modulating upward within a song is a relatively common musical device, particularly in ballads. The semitone-upward […]
