secondary dominant chords and modultaion

[Quintin]

I would love to understand the use of secondary dominant and how to use the too modulate. I would also like to understand how to modulate to a differnt key inany way you can. applying this to songwrting and compostion would be great, I hate playing the same progression and chords sometimes. Anyone have knowledge on this or can give examples would be great.

[Glenn Allen]

 

Secondary Dominance allows you to add non-diatonic chords (chords that aren't in key) to your chord progressions by adding the chord's flat7 and resolving it in one of two ways.

• You can add any dominant 7 chord  into your song, regardless of key, if you immediately follow it with a chord 4 scale steps away. If the follow up chord is still out of key, you then resolve it to the next chord in the same way; add the lowered 7 to the chord and resolve to a chord a 4th away, and so on until you arrive at a diatonic chord
• Ex1.  in the key of C, your progression goes to D7.  D major is not in the key of C (D minor is) so you follow it with a  G chord because D7 is the V7 of G.  You could also go to the G7 chord and resolve to C to continue the V7 to I shennanigans
• Ex2. In the key of C you add Bb7.  To resolve it, you would determine that Bb7 is the V7 of F, so your next chord is Eb.  Eb7 is also not in the key of C, so we use Eb7 instead.  Eb7 is the V7 of Ab, our next chord.  Ab is not in the key of C, so it becomes Ab7.  "   " Db7 (C#7)...." F#7 "  "....B7...E7....A7... D7 and finally G7 which is the V7 of C, which resolves the whole thing. 

You can also resolve to a diatonic minor chord so that the extended progression doesn't last as long.  For instance, the Ex2. progression would have ended sooner by resolving B7 to Em since it is in the key of C.

[Quintin]

On 1/24/2017 at 3:10 PM, Glenn Allen said:

 

Secondary Dominance allows you to add non-diatonic chords (chords that aren't in key) to your chord progressions by adding the chord's flat7 and resolving it in one of two ways.

• You can add any dominant 7 chord  into your song, regardless of key, if you immediately follow it with a chord 4 scale steps away. If the follow up chord is still out of key, you then resolve it to the next chord in the same way; add the lowered 7 to the chord and resolve to a chord a 4th away, and so on until you arrive at a diatonic chord
• Ex1.  in the key of C, your progression goes to D7.  D major is not in the key of C (D minor is) so you follow it with a  G chord because D7 is the V7 of G.  You could also go to the G7 chord and resolve to C to continue the V7 to I shennanigans
• Ex2. In the key of C you add Bb7.  To resolve it, you would determine that Bb7 is the V7 of F, so your next chord is Eb.  Eb7 is also not in the key of C, so we use Eb7 instead.  Eb7 is the V7 of Ab, our next chord.  Ab is not in the key of C, so it becomes Ab7.  "   " Db7 (C#7)...." F#7 "  "....B7...E7....A7... D7 and finally G7 which is the V7 of C, which resolves the whole thing. 

You can also resolve to a diatonic minor chord so that the extended progression doesn't last as long.  For instance, the Ex2. progression would have ended sooner by resolving B7 to Em since it is in the key of C.

I understand some of what your saying. What I dont understand is the modulation that is happening  and the chords that are out of the key signiture (that Eb or F# not in Cmajor scale. I wrote your progression down which has 12 chords, so there is chromatic movement I suppose. But can you explain what you would call the Bb7 or the Eb7 by their secdondary dominant name. There the one with the arrows. 

[childed]

There is a difference between modulation and secondary dominant using.

Modulation means key changing in the end of period.

Ausweichung (in Deutsch, can't find in english) is a short-time variation into related key. You can do it for one or few bars by using secondary dominant with resolving to the secondary tonic.

In major key you can use for Ausweichung ii, IV, V, iv.

In minor III, iv, V, v, VI is good for it.

You can use any chords of related key inside the Ausweichung.

[MikeRobinson]

"Part of the workings of the musical magic" comes from the fact that 7ths, 9ths, etc. are perceived by the ear as "not quite part of the foundation chord anyway." The 7th is only a half-step away from the next octave, and the 9th (otherwise known as the 2nd ...)i has wrapped-around completely.  The sense of musical center is being anchored by the root, the third, and/or the fifth below, and you should always be very careful not to completely discard this.

 

The listener's ear will therefore allow you to "skate," at least for a few measures, with the harmonies that are suggested by these "not quite" notes, as if they were fulfilling their traditional roles in the keys to which they "properly" belong ... provided that you do not, in fact, abandon the "real" key of the song.  

 

You are, as it were, feinting in the direction of another key ... but not just any key.  This Wonderous Magick™ only(!) works because the "other" key is "the 7th or the 9th of the home key," and because the chords continue to share several notes in common with the chords of the home key ... to which you quickly return.

 

The listener continues to hear notes taken from the home key, although for a few measures (s)he perceives that the roles played by those notes are taken from the "other" different, yet closely-related key.  The listener enjoys the musical contrast for a little while, as one might enjoy a surprising dash of spice, but does not perceive it as a complete modulation (because it isn't).