Do The Modulation

What it is about

Chord changes.

Lots of them.

How it was written

Do The Modulation is based on the circle of fifths.

It is a technique for playing all 12 keys in succession in a natural sounding way. You start in any key and then move a fifth, up or down, and carry on like this until you arrive back where you started.

The piece starts in the key of A, so the twelve chord changes are A - E - B - F# - Db - Ab - Eb - Bb - F - C - G - D. The piece then moves back to A and finishes with a flourish in D.

As well as being great fun to play, it is a delight to write. It is like having 12 mini-songs in a single piece.

The theme

The main riff played by the guitar and bass.

Variations on a theme

A tasty variant of the main riff.

The bass plays an extra note and changes the second bar phrasing. The guitar plays two notes from the original riff and substitutes one of them with a third note at the end. The percussion keeps the bass drum, replaces the snare with handclaps, and adds a ride cymbal for a different rhythm.

OTT OD guitar

Over The Top fun on an overdriven guitar.

Go on have a go!

Tech spec

Title: Do The Modulation

Key: A

Tempo: 124bpm

Length: 4' 09"

Track 1: overdrive guitar

Track 2: fingered bass

Track 3: drumset

Genre: Pop, Rock