Key Change

[John Haldane]

Hi
Is there a set procedure if you wanted to change key in a tune as there is in Blue star.
Hope this makes sense.
Take care
John h

[JimTidmarsh]

John

No set procedure as such. A normal key change is one tone up (ie C to D, F to G), but a less straightforward key change would be a third (as per Blue Star) such as A to C, or D to F.
Another alternative would be a major fifth (C to G).

[Martin Page]

As long as it sounds okay, it works. It's a Man's World goes up a fifth and sounds very natural.

Martin.

[John Haldane]

Thank you both very much.
Take care
John H

[ecca]

There are no rules whatsoever.

[AlanMcKillop]

There are no rules whatsoever.

As long as you get the lead in chord right, it's shootie in.

[Bluesnote]

I liked an old Clapton blues number(think he was in Derek and the Dominoes at the time) in which the solo started off in E7 G7 Bb7 Db7 to E7 again. Sounded just fine albeit a bit on the long side for a solo.
I think you can do it anywhere as long as your lead-in notes are correct.
That version of Take Five that was on here had a middle part added which came in a third higher than the original key. I do a middle part in mine but I only go up a semitone then back down again to come back into the melody again, it sounds fine to me.

[Shad1]

I agree with Ecca on this one. There are no rules. If it sounds right to you - do it. I doubt very much if Mozart worried about it. What I think the fear is will others 'accept' it. Who cares? (other than you). Musically if it's what you want to do - do it. It's music, it's fun, it's serious, it's what you make it.

Malc.

[cockroach]

The Shadows latest single 'Singin' the Blues' modulates for the guitar solo to a key a full tone higher than the verse, middle and chorus, then drops back a tone again after the solo...although this version copies Dave Edmunds' 1979 arrangement.

Often the main key of the song is varied in a modulation by changing chords to the fifth of the key change chord, then leading into to the higher key.

e. in key of A, modulating to say, Bb, you might have A, E7, A then F7 then Bb.

[Martin Page]

I liked an old Clapton blues number(think he was in Derek and the Dominoes at the time) in which the solo started off in E7 G7 Bb7 Db7 to E7 again. Sounded just fine albeit a bit on the long side for a solo.
I think you can do it anywhere as long as your lead-in notes are correct.
That version of Take Five that was on here had a middle part added which came in a third higher than the original key. I do a middle part in mine but I only go up a semitone then back down again to come back into the melody again, it sounds fine to me.

You may be alluding to Layla with the riff in D minor but dropping back to the verse in C# minor and back to D minor for the riff and so on. Unlike other key changes, which are more obvious, this one's a cheeky one...

Martin.