<<<<<<< back to Modulation  Modulation Techniques Modulation is the act of changing the tonal center of music from one key to another. The technique is common in all forms of music and ought to be used a great deal more in dulcimer performances. Modulation generally gives music a lift. The change of key has an emotional effect on listeners.  Modulation is particularly useful to dulcimer players when a performance is a medley of several tunes. Modulating the keys helps the listener to hear the different tunes more clearly. There are many forms of modulation, but, on the dulcimer, the most practical type is called common chord modulation. In this form of modulation, the original and destination keys share a chord. However, phrase modulation, pedal tone modulation and trasitional phrase modulation are also within bounds for a hammer dulicmer, too.

Common Chord Modulation Smooth modulations occur when the two keys share many tones. That’s because, when keys share tones, they also share chords and this makes it possible to use a shared chord as a pivot to move between the keys.  The common chord modulation is usually subtle.   Choose a chord shared by the current and the destination key. Use this chord as the pivot to the destination key.    Here are two examples  Modulating from D to G The ii chord in D becomes the vi chord in G  It is the same Em chord, but movement away from Em chord will be into of the key of G. Modulating from A to D The IV chord in A becomes the I chord in D. It is the same D chord, but movement away from the D chord will be into the key of D.   The charts below shows chords shared by various dulcimer friendly keys.    Chords Shared by Keys of D and G  Chords Shared by Keys of D and A  Chords Shared by Keys of G and A D D Bm Em A D Bm Bm - G - -   Chords Shared by Keys of E and A  Chords Shared by Keys of E and D  Chords Shared by Keys of E and G E A - A F#m None F#m - - C#m - - Adjacent major keys on the circle of 5ths share four chords. Major keys separated by one key on the circle of 5ths share two chords. Major keys separated by two keys on the circle of 5ths share no chords. Setting up a four key modulation on the dulcimer can be done by using this sequence of keys: G → D → A → E The hammering patterns are largely the same. It is mostly about moving the hammering patterns to different starting points. As a practical matter, the key of E may not be pleasant sounding and, perhaps, four key changes is just one too many. But the G D A key sequence works well on the dulcimer.

Phrase Modulation The modulation can be abrupt and offer no transitional music. Simply change key and move on. Irish bands use this technique a lot. They finish one reel and slam into the next in a new key. The jarring effect is generally appreciated by listeners. The technical term is phrase modulation.    Pedal Tone Modulation This modulation is much like the common chord modulation, but the focus is a single tone rather than a chord. Here a tone at the end of a phrase is held while the chord changes around it. The tone will be common to both the current and destination key. This form of modulation is driven by melody. The chords follow rather than leading the key change. As an example, the final tone of Hard Times Come Again No More, when played in the key of D, is the tone of D. This tone is also part of the G chord. So, rather than ending the piece on the D chord, it is harmonically consistent to end the piece on the IV chord, or G. That allows the next pass on the song to be made in G.  Transitional Phase Modulation Sometimes modulation is implemented by a few bars of transitional music.   As an example, the final phrase of a song might be repeated as an artful ending and one that would normally lead listeners to conclude that the performance was about to end. Rather than concluding the piece, allow the second pass of the phrase to end on a minor chord that is consistent with the melody and shared with the destination key.  Again using Hard Times Come Again No More as the example, allow the piece to end on the iv chord – Bm. The melody tone is D and a member of the Bm triad. The Bm chord is also present in the key of G.  Now run a scale of parallel 3rds or 6ths and begin the next pass of the tune without the pick notes and in the key of G. It’s a nice surprise for the listener. On to Fitting Chords to Melody >>>>>>>>

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