Pseudo-Modulation: Apparently Changing Keys

Good morning. This is Duane. Today I’d like to talk about false modulations or fake modulations -The Appearance Of Changing Keys Without Really Changing Keys. Some people call them pseudo-modulations. In any case, it’s where you pretend to change a key but really don’t. Let’s say that you’re playing, say, “Misty.” You’re maybe to the middle part of it or close to the end. There was a fake modulation right there. It looked like it was going to move up a half a step to D flat but I came back to C.

Let me give you another example. I’ll take it out of an actual song this time. That’s not written into “Misty” but this is written into “Here’s That Rainy Day.” Did you catch it? It’s in the key of F, but notice right away that’s the A flat seventh chord. Now you feel like you’re in the key of D flat. Then suddenly you’re back in F.

Let me give you another example. Let me play a hymn, “Fairest Lord Jesus.” It’s in the key of F. Sounds normal up to here but listen. Sounded like I’m going into A Flat, doesn’t it? Then back to F.

A fake modulation is just that. You pretend to go to a different key but you really don’t. You can do it for a measure or two measure or three measures or four measures, but then you get back to the original key. It’s usually done by going up half a step. Not always but usually going up a half step and coming back to the original. When I was in “Misty” I was in the key of C and then I played E flat minor seventh and then A flat seventh. It sounded like I was going to go like that into D flat, didn’t it? But I didn’t. I went back to it, back to C.

There’s just an idea or two about fake modulations. We’ll see you tomorrow with a another little tip like this. Bye bye for now.

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