Key Changes in a song

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3Seas
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Key Changes in a song

Post by 3Seas » Wed Nov 30, 2022 5:35 am

Came across this article some my find interesting
https://tedium.co/2022/11/09/the-death- ... key-change

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Re: Key Changes in a song

Post by cosmicdolphin » Wed Nov 30, 2022 9:31 am

Key changes are a no-no for Sync

I included one in one of my very first Forwards and when a library got in touch they said it was very unusal and to maybe not do it in future. Generally it makes your track difficult to transition to the next thing if you havea key change

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Re: Key Changes in a song

Post by 3Seas » Fri Dec 02, 2022 4:05 pm

Thanks for that!

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Re: Key Changes in a song

Post by PaulyB » Sat Dec 03, 2022 6:01 am

I had also always heard not to modulate in a cue. But what's interesting is a recent brief included references (actual music library production cues) that had key changes. So I emailed the head screener about this. He said it wouldn't disqualify a cue from being forwarded if the cue meet all the other criteria. So although it's not something to plan on, changing keys is at least an option.

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Re: Key Changes in a song

Post by hummingbird » Sat Dec 03, 2022 9:39 am

changing keys is not recommended because of how music is used - it is cut up and spliced together. Maybe they want a bit of verse 1 flowing into the final chorus for a big finish but they can't do that because of a key change, for example. Not saying you can't, but anything that limits the viability / usability of the track isn't recommended.
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Re: Key Changes in a song

Post by Telefunkin » Sat Dec 03, 2022 10:45 am

PaulyB wrote:
Sat Dec 03, 2022 6:01 am
I had also always heard not to modulate in a cue. But what's interesting is a recent brief included references (actual music library production cues) that had key changes. So I emailed the head screener about this. He said it wouldn't disqualify a cue from being forwarded if the cue meet all the other criteria. So although it's not something to plan on, changing keys is at least an option.
Don't forget that there's more than one hoop to jump through here. 1-get the track forwarded, 2-get an offer to sign it the library, 3-have it selected by a show editor. Why risk stumbling at any of these stages by including a risky key change (which shouldn't be necessary anyway if you make the track sufficiently interesting)?
Last edited by Telefunkin on Sun Dec 04, 2022 5:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Key Changes in a song

Post by Casey H » Sat Dec 03, 2022 7:39 pm

As been said already by others above. Just don't do it. Period. Create a piece of music that appeals to the widest possible range of sync opps.

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Re: Key Changes in a song

Post by scandalousday » Fri May 19, 2023 1:47 am

Great to find an article on this topic.soccer random

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Re: Key Changes in a song

Post by CTWF » Fri May 19, 2023 3:12 am

Key change means mood change. The music supe in most cases will choose a different cue for the new emotion, so no need to introduce a new emotion in a cue UNLESS specifically stated.

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Re: Key Changes in a song

Post by Casey H » Fri May 19, 2023 4:26 am

CTWF wrote:
Fri May 19, 2023 3:12 am
Key change means mood change. The music supe in most cases will choose a different cue for the new emotion, so no need to introduce a new emotion in a cue UNLESS specifically stated.
Tom
Can often be true that a modulation changes the mood but not always. But the most important reason is the editor can no longer slice and dice pieces as needed such some from the A section and then some from the end. Sliding your button ending over someplace to end the cue early (maybe after 15, 20, 40 secs, etc) is very common, for example. :D

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