Read: Certain pop songs have that moment, when everything seems to

change but still remain the same, when the drama gets ratcheted up, when the
tension increases and our emotions take an elevator ride to the heavens. From
Beyoncé to Johnny Cash, savvy pop songwriters know a well-placed harmonic
modulation can leave listeners reeling. But what is this mysterious musical
trick, and how does it work? Tune in and let us take you higher, and higher,
and higher, as we explore the wild world of modulation.
Featuring

 One Direction – Night Changes

 Taylor Swift – Love Story
 Backstreet Boys – I Want it That Way
 Stevie Wonder – Knocks Me Off my Feet
 Beyonce – Love On Top
 Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You
 Mozart – Queen of the Night Aria
 Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror
 The Beatles – Penny Lane
 Johnny Cash – Walk the Line

Play (on USB drive): “How Beyoncé to The Beatles Modulate Your Emotions.mp3”

Student Work (write on the board):

Write a 1 page essay about how you would utilize “the

modulation” if given the opportunity to write a song for your favorite
artist. Make sure to answer these questions:

 How would the modulation enhance the listener’s experience?

 How would it serve the lyrical content?
 Where in the song would your modulation (or modulations!) appear?
 Other than changing keys, what other ways could you modulate a song?