Best way to change from B to Bb

[loumi]

This Sunday we have to transition from a song in B to one in Bb and I was wondering the best way to do that. Often times, I can change keys by going to the V (5th) of the key I want to go to, then down to the root. But that sounds weird in going from B to Bb. Actually, going directly from B to Bb does not sound real bad, but I wonder if there might be something nicer. Any suggestoins? This is for contemporary Christian songs.

 

(I know what you might be thinking, why didn't they transpose one of the songs to the other key? Good question, but that is not what I can do.)

 

Lou

[Sandy Hemenway]

Heck, for a B/Bb choice, I'd just read the stuff written in B and pretend it was written in Bb. (The old 7 accidental: sharps to flats switcheroo).

 

Off the top of my head, I'm thinking I'd tried to transition through a B7 or Bmaj7.

 

I'm not strong on formal theory, but my instinct tells me the key note (not necessarily chord), is "A", which will have a natural pull to resolve to the Bb. B7, maybe Am -- this is where I'd look first for a transition doorway.

[Trill]

Loumi,

 

I'm sure your going to get better answers than mine.

 

B--Cm7(Maybe a with b5)--F13--Bb .The ol' 2-5-1

 

One of my favorites is 11th chords or Slash chords,nice contemporary sound

 

B--B/Db--Db/Eb--Eb/F--Bb

[stepay]

Transpose key!

[gangsu]

B major - B minor - Bb major

 

too easy, right?

[wjwilcox]

Drum solo.....

[gangsu]

[stoo schultz]

The way Victor Borge did it the last time I saw him was: got up from the stool, walked to the side of the piano, and gave it a nudge about a half inch over, then sat back down to play at exactly the same spot. It worked!

[gangsu]

That's awesome. Wish I could've seen him perform!

[lerber3]

If it's an option, reverse the order of the songs and simply modulate up a semi, especially if the B song is faster. The upwards modulation is a cool 'next gear' hint...

 

The downwards modulation needs a bit more care. F is tritone of B, so I'd be tempted to go something like:

 

B - B7 >>> F7 - Bb

 

... and mess around in the tension between B7 and F7 working outside the scales of each.

 

I'm not at piano, and not much sleep... might sound like crap.

[Corner Pocket]

This is almost exactly the change to the ridge in Sophisticated Lady.

 

Ab maj7 A-7 D7 Gmaj7

 

This works nice because the 3rd in Abmaj7 is the same as the 3rd in A-7, and is also the 7th in D7. Common tones make it less jarring.

 

So in your case:

 

B maj C-7 F7 Bb maj. The common tone is the D#/Eb through the first three chords. Try it, you'll like it!!!

[Eric Iverson]

How strange to make a transition DOWN a key.. it seems to never be done in practice!

 

Time and time again you see modulations UP.. one tune I remember took the simple tune up a half-step three or four times.

 

Is there a reason you can't do both songs in the same key - Such as charts already written for the whole band?

[iLaw]

What Trill and Paul said. ii V I

 

i.e. your favorite flavor of Cm, to your favorite flavor of a dominant F, and you're home free in Bb.

 

Larry.

[Corner Pocket]

Coolest key change ever?????

 

"My Heart Will Go On" It goes up by a tri-tone, and does it sooooo smoothly. David Foster earned his pay on that one.

[Dave Horne]

You don't state how many bars you need to prepare the new key.

 

B, C#m, D#m/Ebm (iii in B major, iv in Bb minor, parallel minor of Bb major), Cm7b5, F7sus, F7, Bb.

 

That D#m/Ebm would be a pivot chord.

 

(opps ... edited because of an error, sorry!)

[loumi]

Originally posted by stepay:

Transpose key!

I had thought of that - tempting indeed.

[loumi]

Originally posted by Dave Horne:

You don't state how many bars you need to prepare the new key.

Actually, I have quite a bit of time, and I can probably do anything I want. The lead guy is going to do some speaking while I do some background playing. I can't really say how many bars it will be because the rate will also change. I would say I probably have 30 seconds or so, and I am basically done when the guy stops talking.

 

Gotta go print these out and give them a try! Thanks to all.

 

Lou

[K K]

Another possible simple chord transition :

 

B --> Eb --> F7 --> Bb

 

with melody/improvisation emphasizing on/around the Eb (major third in B, root in Eb, seventh in F7).

 

There are myriads of ways to do this. In any case, you say there's also a break in tempo and a long delay. Should pass unnoticed quite easily.

[Bridog6996]

Often in Gospel music, you'll have a direct modulation, in which you simply *go* from one key to another, with no preparation. Seems to me this is the best way to go. Plus, as others have mentioned, the half-step movement between the two keys makes for a pretty smooth transition just by itself. No need to dress it up, unless you want to.

[marino]

1) B - Bmaj7 - Cm7b5 - F7 - Bb

2) B - (C#m7 - F#7) - Ebm7 - Ab7 - Bb(6)

3) B - C#m7 - F#7 - Fm7b5 - E7 - Ebm7 - Ab7 - Cm7b5 - F7 - Bb

4) B - E - F# - Ab - Bb

5) B - F# - F(7) - Bb

 

etc.

[DafDuc]

B-E-F-Bb. It actually sounds like you're modulating up instead of down, because of the E-F move, even though the F is replacing an F#...

[Tusker]

What I like to do is search for a motif from the song that I'm coming into and then use that.

 

You've got excellent information on what chords can help you transition. I would look for distinctives (like the ending of the song is ii b 1, I might want to use Dave Horn's ascending progression since spends some time on the iim. If the song uses a Gflat,Aflat,Bflat ending for example, Marino's fourth suggestion would be very nice.)

 

Sometimes there is a melodic or logical motif, that you can use to link stuff. I like dramatic stuff like:

 

B (the final chord of the previous song)

C, B (a chromatic motif)

C, B (chromatic motif repeated)

C, B (chromatic motif repeated)

B, Bflat

 

A related motiv technique would be;

 

B, Em B (minor plagal)

Em, B

Em, B

Eflatm, Bflat

 

... but it really depends on what the next song is going to be doing. It wouldn't use either of these for a ballad.

 

All the best,

 

Jerry

[Bobadohshe]

Here's a nice way to do this in a worship setting:

 

B, D#m, Fsus, F, Bb

 

I, iii(iv of new key), Vsus of new key, V, I

 

When you play the D#m, voice it with the A#/Bb on top, which will be the sus4 of the F. Then resolve the sus down to the A, and it's a real nice setup. These modulations don't need to be completely disguised, they just have to be smooth and tasteful. The progression above (and a lot of the other ones posted here) is that. Some of the other suggestions might not be to taste depending on your setting. Unfortunately, not all congregations are ready for m7b5 chords although it would be nice if they were. If your playing in a gospel style church then you could do something way hipper even. I'd try out all the suggestions and see which you think is appropriate.

[Bobadohshe]

Originally posted by rockincyanblues:

Coolest key change ever?????

 

"My Heart Will Go On" It goes up by a tri-tone, and does it sooooo smoothly. David Foster earned his pay on that one.

David Foster ALWAYS earns his pay.

[Byrdman]

Here's another way.

 

The neapolitan six of B is C/E which is the II (secondary dominant) of Bb.

 

B -> C/E -> Ddim -> Cm7 -> F7 -> Bb

 

Replace the Ddim with whatever you like to make the thing work. It will depend on the notes you want on top.

 

Or more directly

 

B -> Cdim7 -> Bb -> F7 -> Bb.

 

Works nicely with B - A - Bb on top for first three chords. The extra cadence just establishes Bb.

[linwood]

Without knowing the two tunes, it's hard to tell how one would connect them, but here's another idea.

[SpaceNorman]

I'd just whack the "keyboard capo" and play on!

 

The SpaceNorman

[Hardway]

I play the Titanic theme for weddings. I learned it by ear off the motion picture soundtrack. The verse is in E MAJ to chorus in C# min. The modulation goes to the chorus in F min, a transposition of a MAJ 3rd. I agree it is a cool and smooth transition for an irregular modulation interval.

[Bobadohshe]

Let us know how it goes tomorrow Loumi!

[Dave Horne]

Originally posted by Hardway:

I play the Titanic theme for weddings. I learned it by ear off the motion picture soundtrack. The verse is in E MAJ to chorus in C# min. The modulation goes to the chorus in F min, a transposition of a MAJ 3rd. I agree it is a cool and smooth transition for an irregular modulation interval.

The distance from C# to an ascending F is a diminished 4th not a major third. Db to F would be a major 3rd.