Unit 7-1: Modulation ID

Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Aurally identify when a passage modulates to another key and state which key the music modulates to.
Describe strategies for identifying a modulation and determining which key a passage modulates to.
Demonstrate further proficiency in sight reading, improvising, and transcribing rhythms that incorporate 16th note rests and ties with subdivisions in compound time.
Sight sing and improvise melodies incorporating modulations to closely-related keys.

Preparation for Class

Read:

Read the following selections from Chenette's Foundations of Aural Skills:

Reference Aids

Diatonic Common Chord Modulation Handout
Source: Toby Rush (Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People)

Closely-Related Keys
Closely-related keys are those within 1 sharp/flat of the original key. On the circle of 5ths, this is the relative major/minor and the major and minor key on the left and right on the circle.

A Circle of Fifths diagram is shown, with major keys in uppercase letters around the outer circle and their relative minor keys in lowercase letters inside, closer to the center. The diagram is organized clockwise in ascending fifths. Starting at the top and proceeding clockwise, the outer circle shows: C, G, D, A, E, B, F#, C#/Db, Ab, Eb, Bb, F. The inner circle shows the relative minor keys: a, e, b, f#, c#, eb/d#, bb/a#, f/g#, c/db, ab, eb, d. Each major key is accompanied by its corresponding major scale in standard musical notation. Each minor key is accompanied by its corresponding natural minor scale in standard musical notation. Numbers with flats and sharps are shown between the major and minor keys, representing the number of flats or sharps in each key's key signature.

In-Class Activities

Improvisation

Rhythmic Improvisation (16th Note Rests in Compound): Continued practice from Unit 6-2.
- - Rhythm Grid with Takadimi syllables
  - Rhythm Grid without rhythmic syllables
Melodic Improvisation (Modulation): Compose a progression that modulates to a closely-related key using a diatonic pivot. Here's a sample progression that shows the pivot chord overlapping and a backing track for the progression. Discuss strategies as a class for arpeggiating and improvising over the progression. Start with just one chord tone for each chord, then slowly add in some embellishments.
- - Experiment with other progressions. Create a backing track using an online chord player like Chord Player, Musicca Chord Player, or ChordChord to fit your progression.

Sight Reading

Melodic Sight-Reading: Sight-read melodies in the section "Closely-Related Keys."
- - Discuss strategies from the reading for modulating between keys.
Rhythm Sight-Reading: Continue sight-reading rhythms in the section "Adding 16th Rests & Ties."

Sight Singing: Modulation

Rhythms: Compound Subdivisions

Aural ID and Dictation

Before you begin, discuss strategies as a group for identifying where a modulation occurs and determining which key the passage modulates to.

Aural Anthology: Listen to song selections in the section "Modulation ID." Identify where in the selection you hear the modulation (using song lyrics or measure numbers). Then, identify whether the passage modulated up or down and to what key it modulates.
- - Note: Start by focusing on examples that modulate to closely-related keys (see the last column) to limit your options. Then, mix it up and listen to all examples.
Theory Anthology: Listen to examples that modulate abruptly in the section "Direct (or Abrupt) Modulation" and those that modulate with pivots in the section "Pivot Chord Modulation). Identify whether the passage modulates up or down and to what key it modulates.

Aural Anthology: Modulation

Theory Anthology: Modulation

Assignment

Assignment 7-1

NEXT STEP

Next Lesson: Modulation Dictation

Additional Practice

Auralia:
- Modulation: Levels 5–6
- Rhythm Dictation: Level 7e–h
- Rhythm Element Dictation: Level 4h–i
- Two-Part Rhythm Dictation: Levels 9a–9b
Musition:
- Rhythm Tapping: Level 6e

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