Key change transition

[island texan]

I'm trying some ways to move from one key to another between songs. The first is Somewhere Over the Rainbow in C, ending on the root and If I Only Had a Brain in the key of G, starting on the notes B, C, D + low G. Any ideas?

[Athens]

A web search on "Modulation, music" will get you all you ever wanted to know, and more on the subject.

[charles Tauber]

It is an easy transition since the difference in keys isn't great - no sharps, no flats to one sharp. C is IV in the key of G. Lots of possibilities. One is to play D7 after C, giving IV, V, I in the key of G.

Another is C, C#dim7, D7, G. That can give a bass line of C, C#, D, G. Another is C, A minor (which is C6), Ab7, G. That can give a bass line of C, A, Ab, G. And many more.

[mr. beaumont]

Yeah, really ANY way you can get to a D7...

Easiest way to change keys is to set up the new key's "V"


One easy 2 bar transition I just used recently to get from C to G is

Cmaj7 Am7 | Bm7 E7 Am7 D7 |

[mattbn73]

ii7 V7 is pretty standard. IV/V to V is a different wrinkle.

More generally, playing the turnaround of the new tune - first in the previous tune's key and then in the new key - is an old piano trick. That approach works well melodically as well.

[island texan]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Yeah, really ANY way you can get to a D7...

Easiest way to change keys is to set up the new key's "V"


One easy 2 bar transition I just used recently to get from C to G is

Cmaj7 Am7 | Bm7 E7 Am7 D7 |

I like this one other than the necessary grab to Bm7 and back to open chords. It sounds pretty good if you skip that chord and just do the E7 twice.