Modulations in Music Improvisation

 A modulation is a change from one key to another. When improvising, your modulations can be as long or as short as you like. Depending on which keys you're starting and ending in, you could potentially pass through several other keys enroute to your destination key. The example modulations I provide below contain the following:

1. Initiation - This is the starting point of a modulation, the point at which deviation from a key is commenced.
   
2. Arrival - This is the point at which the V chord of the new key is reached and focus can be shifted from modulating to key resolution (ie: V-I).
   
3. Confirmation - This step is optional and may or may not appear in the example improvisations. It's utilized in certain situations to reinforce the new key. If this step is omitted in cases where it's needed, your improvisation might not sound fully resolved in the key you intended.
   

Two strategies that you can use to help you modulate to a major key during an improvisation are as follows.

1. Set as your improvisational goal the V chord of the new key, then resolve. For example, if the new key is C major, your improvisation should work its way to the V chord, or G major, then resolve to C major.
   
2. Set as your improvisational goal the V chord of the relative minor of the new key, then resolve and modulate to the relative major. For example, if the new key is C major, your improvisation should work its way to the V chord of the relative minor, or E major, resolve to A minor, then modulate to C major.
   

A simple example of a modulation from A minor to C major might look like this.

Two strategies that you can use to help you modulate to a minor key during an improvisation are as follows.

1. Set as your improvisational goal the V chord of the new key, then resolve. For example, if the new key is A minor, your improvisation should work its way to the V chord, or E major, then resolve to A minor.
2. Set as your improvisational goal the V chord of the relative major of the new key, then resolve and modulate to the relative minor. For example, if the new key is A minor, your improvisation should work its way to the V chord of the relative major, or G major, resolve to C major, then modulate to A minor.

A simple example of a modulation from C major to A minor might look like this.

For demonstration purposes, all of the following examples modulate to C major from various keys. I'll provide a deeper analysis into a select few examples.

C#-C

In this first example improvisation, I outlined in red where the modulation is initiated and where the V chord of the destination key is reached. Once the V chord is reached, I then resolve to C major.

This updated excerpt is a chord and key analysis with key signatures added to better illustrate what's happening. You can see that contained within the grand modulation from C# to C are multiple smaller modulations strung together. Each individual modulation has its own initiation and V chord arrival points. The final V-I depicted in measures 15-16 reveal a change from C minor to its parallel major, C major.

C#-C (2)

 

C#-C (3)

 

D-C

This example demonstrates strategy #2 by improvising to the V chord of the relative minor, or E major, resolving to A minor, then modulating to C major.

 

D-C (2)

This particular example demonstrates the confirmation component of the modulation. After arrival at the V chord, the resolution to C takes place followed by a confirmation to indicate to the listener that we are now, in fact, in the key of C.

D-C (3)

 

E♭-C

 

E♭-C (2)

E♭-C (3)

 

E-C

 

E-C (2)

 

E-C (3)

 

E-C (4)

F-C

 

F-C (2)

 

F-C (3)

 

F#-C

 

F#-C (2)

 

F#-C (3)

 

G-C

 

G-C (2)

 

G-C (3)

 

A♭-C

 

A♭-C (2)

A♭-C (3)

 

A-C

 

A-C (2)

 

A-C (3)

 

B♭-C

 

B♭-C (2)

B♭-C (3)

 

B-C

 

B-C (2)

 

B-C (3)

 

C-C

While you can't modulate to a key you're already in, what you can do is modulate away from the key and return back to it. For fun, I included two examples of this.

C-C (2)

 

Practice

When practicing modulations during an improvisation, keep it simple at first and just modulate from one key to whatever key you happen to improvise to next, regardless of what key it is, and stop. In other words, don't name a destination key yet. Just practice modulating somewhere, anywhere you wish. Once you complete the modulation, repeat it and make note of the keys you started and ended in. Now store this newly discovered modulation in your hip pocket for use in future improvisations. You should be able to duplicate your new modulation in any key now. For example, if you successfully created a modulation from G to C, you should be able to use that modulation from A to D, C# to F#, F# to B, etc.

Later when you gain proficiency, instead of modulating to the first new key you come to and stopping, try modulating through the first key and into a second key. Make a mental note of what you did and add it to your improvisational arsenal. Over time as you gain a greater level of comfort, try naming a key to modulate to and improvise until you get there, regardless of how long the improvisation takes.

Summary

The modulations demonstrated in the examples above consist of (1) an initiation point, (2) arrival at the V chord of the new key along with key resolution, and optionally, (3) confirmation of the new key. There are other ways to modulate between keys over the course of an improvisation, each with their own strategies. But the examples in this post should provide a good starting point for modulations on your improvisational journey.

Bonus Points

In both C-C improvisations, identify all keys that were modulated to along with each modulation initiation and V chord arrival points.

Companion Video

(improvised and recorded on August 27, 2024)

"Scale Enhancement" Improvisational Exercise

 If you're like me, you might think practicing scales is boring. Since I was a teenager, I've added improvisational "enhancements" to my scales to make them more musically enjoyable to me. If you're learning how to improvise, or if you want to test your improvisational skills, I think this could be a useful exercise for you. For this exercise, you can either prepend or append improvisations to your scales. My personal preference is to append improvisations as scale endings or modulations.

This example video demonstrates two traditional unenhanced scales followed by two enhanced scales. The first of the enhanced scales adds an "ending" to the scale that's in the same key as the scale. The second of the enhanced scales demonstrates an improvisational modulation from one scale to the next. For example, once the G scale ends, the improvisational element finds its way to the V chord of the following D scale (ie: A chord) and immediately continues up the D scale without stopping.

When adding improvisational enhancements to your scales, vary the improvisations from scale to scale to avoid repetition. Challenge yourself to invent a new ending or modulation for every scale.

(improvised and recorded on Aug 3, 2024)