Transition interludes where keys change from one key to another

2009-05-13 06:01 pm

I do a lot of work transcribing handwritten music into NWC files. Right now I have a waltz (3/4 time, 3 verses) that moves from Cm to Dm to Gm. The male choir version has no transitions at these points. I found an old version of an accompaniment for this song but it is in the key of Gm. So far I've been able to convert the accompaniment into Cm and Dm, and join them together. I lack the expertise in writing transitions where keys change. There is an 8-bar intro at the beginning of the song but I feel it's too long to use as an interlude. A 4-bar transition would be fine.

Re: Transition interludes where keys change from one key to another

Reply #1 – 2009-05-13 11:10 pm

You can use a diminished chord as a pivot to go to almost any new key.

Re: Transition interludes where keys change from one key to another

Reply #2 – 2009-05-14 12:02 am

Please see correction below
G'day Allan,
it's a bit technical but perhaps this can help:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Musical-Composition-Theory-652/2008/10/transition-chord-key-change.htm

What I would look for is a motif in the work that can be used to carry the modulation - some short riff that can be manipulated. Or perhaps the last portion of the intro could be modified.

How does the Gm minor version you found transition to each new verse? Does it just jump straight in, is there a period of silence, or, hopefully, is there a short "turn around" that can be modified to do the modulation?

A common turn around in Jazz (especially blues) is 6-2-5-1. The 1 is the target chord and is the first chord of the next chorus, so perhaps you could structure a couple of bars as VI7-ii7b5-v7-i7 (upper case roman numerals are major chords, the lower case ones are minor). In the case of the Gm to Am transition this would be Fmaj7-Bm7b5-Em7-Am7. This is a 6-2-5-1 with Am as the target chord. Note that the Fmaj7 is almost the 7 chord of Gm which is actually F7. The only difference is the 7 - major or dominant...

Please note that the 1 chord is the destination and should be the first chord of the next chorus (verse?) so the LAST chord of the turnaround bars would be the v7. If you did this in 2 bars, it would be something like |Gm FM7|Bm7b5 Em7| and then the Am7 at the start of the next chorus (verse). Note that the Gm is the i chord of the old key, you could also try try Dm7 (the v7 chord)

If you wanted a 4 bar interlude as you suggested you could try a (3 or 4)-6-2-5-1 in the original key and then the 6-2-5-1 in the new key...

Say |BbM7 EbM7|Am7b5 Dm7|Gm7 FM7|Bm7b5 Em7| or maybe |Cm7 EbM7|Am7b5 Dm7|Gm7 FM7|Bm7b5 Em7|

Note that a m7b5 chord is also known as a half diminished chord.

This is only one possibility and might not work in the target song - there are other turn arounds. A search of the web for harmonisation and turn arounds would be a help.

This is a useful reference 'till you memorise it:
http://www.teachguitar.com/content/tm4noteharm.htm

I notice Carl has posted while I've been typing this - his alternative is easier than my suggestion. I went the long route 'cos you said you wanted a short interlude...

A couple of rough examples are attached... One in 4/4 and one in 3/4. Note these are ROUGH examples - they shouldn't be considered as anything more than that.

<Edit> Oops - just realised that the transition should have been Cm to Dm to Gm, NOT Gm to Am - sorry 'bout that. Nevertheless the basic principles apply. The Gm to Am example above works just as well for Cm to Dm - just change the chords to suit. The Dm to Gm modulation would work much the same but the 6-2-5-1 in Dm would be BbM7-Em7b5-A7-Dm7 and in Gm is EbM7-Am7b5-Dm7-Gm7