It's got to be at the end of 'Loveleft, Loveright'..! It works absolutely fantastic..! I know Prince rarely uses modulations in that way, and hearing how effective it is in this song, I think it's a shame..!

I am trying to think of a single instance of it.

If you'd asked my favorite Barry Manilow chorus modulation, well that would be a different story

NDRU said:

I am trying to think of a single instance of it.

If you'd asked my favorite Barry Manilow chorus modulation, well that would be a different story

Okay, how about that then?

I had to google chorus modulation. Mostly it gave me pictures of plug looking things and then I sat thru a boring utube dude explaining it.

Maybe if you give some examples of the 10 good ones, it's easier to choose, coz I don't really know what I'm meant to be looking or listening for.

Bohemian67 said:

I had to google chorus modulation. Mostly it gave me pictures of plug looking things and then I sat thru a boring utube dude explaining it.

Maybe if you give some examples of the 10 good ones, it's easier to choose, coz I don't really know what I'm meant to be looking or listening for.

A modulation is a shift in tonal key. In many songs, it's used to heighten the emotional effect as the chorus is repeated, mostly near the end of the song. Michael Jackson used it in songs like Will You Be There, You Are Not Alone, etc., but it has been used thousands of times throughout musical history. Personally, I love it... When it's done good, it gives me goosebumps! But I couldn't name 10 Prince songs that make use of it though, 'cause like I said, Prince rarely uses it this way. He shifts keys during a song of course, but that's not the kind of chorus enhancing modulations I'm talking about.

you're right i cant really think of an instance when prince uses it.

Mikes use of it in WILL YOU BE THERE is GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!

Listen to any song by Andrew Lloyd Weber and you'll know what chorus modulation is.

The modulation in Loveleft Loveright is my favorite part of the song. I can't really think of any other situations where he uses it, but I am certain he does. When I first heard LlLr, I thought of how familiar that part sounded.

Beautiful Ones

The Dance

Take me with you

i think there is a nice modulation on Do U Lie

So we can't call it a key change anymore?

thebanishedone said:

Beautiful Ones

The Dance

Take me with you

I dont think theres a key change in those PR songs....i dunno

Nvncible1 said:

thebanishedone said:

Beautiful Ones

The Dance

Take me with you

I dont think theres a key change in those PR songs....i dunno

There is in "Take Me With You" or at least, Prince reaches into a couple different keys for chords during the middle break.

Gomp said:

Bohemian67 said:

I had to google chorus modulation. Mostly it gave me pictures of plug looking things and then I sat thru a boring utube dude explaining it.

Maybe if you give some examples of the 10 good ones, it's easier to choose, coz I don't really know what I'm meant to be looking or listening for.

A modulation is a shift in tonal key. In many songs, it's used to heighten the emotional effect as the chorus is repeated, mostly near the end of the song. Michael Jackson used it in songs like Will You Be There, You Are Not Alone, etc., but it has been used thousands of times throughout musical history. Personally, I love it... When it's done good, it gives me goosebumps! But I couldn't name 10 Prince songs that make use of it though, 'cause like I said, Prince rarely uses it this way. He shifts keys during a song of course, but that's not the kind of chorus enhancing modulations I'm talking about.

Thanks for the explanation. I agree, those tonal shifts take a song higher and higher.

Harmonically, Prince is not as adventurous as people like to think. And as some of you pointed out, modulation ("key changes") is something he rarely uses.

My favorite example would probably be halfway into "Glam Slam" (just before the "Heavy feather flicka nipple..." or whatever the lyric is). He's coming from G flat, and actually modulates down a half step, to the key of F.

In his more "progressive" songs (songs with many different sections, such as, for instance, "3 Chains Of Gold), he'll sometimes change keys - especially during instrumental segments. However, those modulations are often achieved by simply moving a chord or a line chromatically until he ends up where he needs to be - or sometimes just a result of an instrumental line leading into a different place (purposely or not). In live performances, he uses even more of that to connect different songs, etc.

Im glad he doesnt do it often, its one of the tackiest things you can do to a song.

My favorite is Diamond and Pearls, a song that does little for me, but then he "modulates" the chorus on the ending fade out, and I think it sounds dramatic and great.

I reckon one of the most surprising progressions (that keeps modulating throughout) is She Wants a Place in Heaven.

Large Room with NoLight is another fav but, yes initially it doesn't modulate between the verse and the chorus.

ufoclub said:

My favorite is Diamond and Pearls, a song that does little for me, but then he "modulates" the chorus on the ending fade out, and I think it sounds dramatic and great.

He does? Really?

The only modulations I can hear is the (fanfare-like) interlude, and a little later going back to the last verse (after the "D to the I..." section).

Both are actually perfect examples of the techniques I mentioned in my earlier post.

thebanishedone said:

Beautiful Ones

The Dance

Take me with you

what do you want do,

what do you can do,

can you write ,

can you speak,

to be or not to be ,

i think will be

and you can make it .

is the last minute of "neon telephone" a modulation? i like that...

is this part in raspberry a modulation; "rain sounds so cool when it hits - horses wonder who u are" ?

The closest I can come would be the song Here.

It is not so much modulating the key higher for dramatic purposes, but he does sing the same melody in different keys at various times during the verse and chorus.

LORILA said:

what do you want do,

what do you can do,

can you write ,

can you speak,

to be or not to be ,

i think will be

and you can make it .

I knew you couldn't quit the org for long, Dan.

vitalbacon said:

is the last minute of "neon telephone" a modulation? i like that...

is this part in raspberry a modulation; "rain sounds so cool when it hits - horses wonder who u are" ?

Neon Telephone:

Not really what you would call a modulation, actually just a change from the original (major) key to its parallel minor. Although the way he gets there sounds like some kind of modulation, especially with the tempo slowing down at the same time. The "new" key appears to be quite "far away", but it's really not.

Raspberry Beret:

No, not a modulation. It just goes to the IV chord for a while, but it stays in the same key throughout.

RealMusician said:

ufoclub said:

My favorite is Diamond and Pearls, a song that does little for me, but then he "modulates" the chorus on the ending fade out, and I think it sounds dramatic and great.

He does? Really?

The only modulations I can hear is the (fanfare-like) interlude, and a little later going back to the last verse (after the "D to the I..." section).

Both are actually perfect examples of the techniques I mentioned in my earlier post.

I guess what I meant was that he sort of inverts the notes of the chorus in the ending. He doesn't change key.

Normally he sings the chorus: If(D) I(D then going up) gave(E) you(G) diam(B)onds(A) and(G) p(E)earls(D).

At the end in a variation he goes: If (D one octave higher then before and then goes down)I(C) gave(B) you(A) dia(B)monds(A) and(G) p(A)earls(G)

and it just brings in some passion with the variation that I like.

[Edited 11/29/10 12:25pm]

RealMusician said:

vitalbacon said:

is the last minute of "neon telephone" a modulation? i like that...

is this part in raspberry a modulation; "rain sounds so cool when it hits - horses wonder who u are" ?

Neon Telephone:

Not really what you would call a modulation, actually just a change from the original (major) key to its parallel minor. Although the way he gets there sounds like some kind of modulation, especially with the tempo slowing down at the same time. The "new" key appears to be quite "far away", but it's really not.

Raspberry Beret:

No, not a modulation. It just goes to the IV chord for a while, but it stays in the same key throughout.

okay, thank you

Efan said:

LORILA said:

what do you want do,

what do you can do,

can you write ,

can you speak,

to be or not to be ,

i think will be

and you can make it .

I knew you couldn't quit the org for long, Dan.

blueautumn said:

So we can't call it a key change anymore?

LOL! Oh, is that what chorus modulation is? Well, I think I can answer the question more efficently now.

It might be the cheesiest but it's certainly my favorite...the key change at the end of "7" when everybody joins in for the chorus. That's the best part of the song. One of the worst examples for me is the end of the Whitney Houston/Deb Cox duet, "Same Script, Different Cast." It changes keys like 100 times and just comes off as way overdone.

PS - I just listened to "7" again....maybe it's not a key change? Still my favorite part of the song.

[Edited 12/28/10 15:29pm]

NDRU said:

I am trying to think of a single instance of it.

If you'd asked my favorite Barry Manilow chorus modulation, well that would be a different story

Barry Manilow is the master of chorus modulation