Brainlag MusicSpotting a modulation in a melody or a score: a returning accidental, then a cadence on the new tonic.
A returning accidental
The first clue is a new accidental that keeps coming back: it is usually the leading note of the new key.
- F sharp in a C major piece points to G major.
- B natural in an F major piece points to C major.
- D sharp in G major points to E minor.
Going to the subdominant, the new note is the flattened 7th of the old key instead: B flat in a C major piece points to F major.
You try This accidental keeps coming back in a D major piece. Which key does it point to?
Show the answer
A major, the dominant: G sharp is its leading note.
The rest of this lesson and its 4 practice questions are in Brainlag Music Theory.
Screen 1 of 4, free to read.
- 4 exam-style questions, marked as you go, each with a worked solution
- Anything you get wrong is saved to your flashcards