Ease into improvising over modulating chord changes.

Claude_Ruelle · April 2022

I've made a video on how to ease into improvising over modulating chord sequences. It's a method I've been working on lately and I found it effective. I hope that it can help others.

The idea is to work on making a simple sequence with an A and a B section that are in two different keys. This will give plenty of time for planning and working on aiming for specific target notes, as well as making it easier for the ear to keep track of intervals that are being played:

Let me know your thoughts.

viz · April 2022

Cool.

Another thing you can do is think about what the modulation is actually doing, and what does that mean musically. Every modulation is different. So for example, from E major (well, ok, E mixo), to G major, the thing that really stands out is that you’re starting with a chord that has a major 3rd, then going up a MINOR 3rd.

So if you play a little motif in E mix, then change it purely with that major->minor toggle, keeping all else the same, then, musically speaking, it has a big chance of making the most of that specific modulation.

So. In the E section, you could labour the G# F# E descending tones. Then on the G you suddenly switch to G F# E, which are all in the G major scale. So you’ve found a lovely way of bringing the music into the change, it’s not a violent gear change, it’s a smooth, musical transition.

There are hundreds of things you could do in that vein, and of course it’s different for every modulation. But knowing what the modultion calls for, is the art.

Claude_Ruelle · April 2022

That is what I'm trying to aim for. I really like the idea of the descending tones with the shift to the G#. I also want to work on incorporating more chromatic ideas to get to my target notes.

viz · April 2022

Claude_Ruelle said:

That is what I'm trying to aim for. I really like the idea of the descending tones with the shift to the G#. I also want to work on incorporating more chromatic ideas to get to my target notes.

Yes, (or from the G# to the G, if you’re going from the E chord to the G chord) - and I think the way to do think about this is, basically, ‘tunefully’. I mean, what I’ve always done is, I’ve got the chords under my skin, then I’ve let the back of my brain come up with the melody, the tune, that fits over the modulation, like sticky tape. And more often than not, it’s a repeated motif with one critical note difference.

Like with yours, you could do:

E: G# F# E, G# F# E
D : G# F# E, G# F# E,
G: G F# E, G F# E,
C: G F# E, G F# E.

and repeat.

So simple. That little descending thing just goes round and round in my brain over that progression of yours, like an earworm.

Another one would be ascending: G# A B and G A B.

Or you can do slow long notes, like Zimmer would do:

E: G# _____
D : F# ______

G: G _______

C: A________

and repeat. Sort of like Inception-style.

https://youtu.be/va1oiojnGrA

Anyway, you know all this I think!

Claude_Ruelle · April 2022

These are all lovely ideas. I don't know why but I'm addicted to those sorts of modulations.

One thing I love is a two-chord vamp in which the two chords are from two different keys. I can jam over that for hours and hours

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Ease into improvising over modulating chord changes.

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