BookatlasPiano Rabbit Hole: Improvisation Theory & Practice
10250 / 18210 · Workshop 84 — Modulation Architecture: Pivot Chords, Direct Modulation, Common-Tone Modulation, Sequential Modulation, and Making Key Changes Feel Inevitable← prev⊞ allnext →

84.109The deeper theoretical lesson

A key is not simply:

a scale.

It is a network of expectations:

  • tonic stability
  • dominant direction
  • leading tones
  • phrase endings
  • recurrent roots
  • cadences

To modulate means:

transfer those expectations to a new center.