Modulating up a half step

[keysareit]

What is a good voicing for modulating from C major to Db major using the V7 of Db? I use Ab bass with Eb,Gb,Bb,Db in the right hand.

[playhear]

I like to use the tritone sub of the V7 chord, which is easier to find than the V7.  In key Db, the modulation chord would be the tritone sub of Ab7.  For me, it usually comes out to being a 13th chord.  For the key of Db, it's:

D A C \ B C E Gb.....D13 chord

That may sound confusing, but once I got it down, it became automatic.  You know how it goes...

In a progression, it might look like this:

C G \ B C E G .....Cmaj7
D A \ B C E Gb.....D13 (modulation chord)
Db Ab \ C Db F Ab.....Dbmaj7

This way, your fingers don't move around much!  This modulation is a pleasing, jazzy sound!

[T-Block]

Depends on what inversion you are on when you play the C major chord, and what inversion you want to end up on when you play the Db major chord.  Examples:

C / C-E-G
Ab / C-Eb-Gb-Ab
Db / Db-F-Ab

C / C-E-G
Ab / Ab-C-Eb-Gb
Db / Ab-Db-F

C / E-G-C
Ab / Eb-Gb-Ab-C
Db / F-Ab-Db

C / E-G-C
Ab / Gb-Ab-C-Eb
Db / F-Ab-Db

C / G-C-E
Ab / Gb-Ab-C-Eb
Db / F-Ab-Db

C / G-C-E
Ab / Gb-Ab-C-Eb
Db / Ab-Db-F

C / G-C-E
Ab / Ab-C-Eb-Gb
Db / Ab-Db-F

Those are just a few examples of what you could do.

[keysareit]

The D13 to Dbmaj7 sounds great! I would also throw in an Amin7 to D13 to Dbmaj7

[PianoWizard]

Thanks "T-Block".....your always there to help.......just what I was looking for..........

PianoWiz...

[elio]

Another way of looking at it is this: you are in C and you want to move to Db. The V7 of Db is Ab7, so you can do something like C->Ab7->Db.
Now, here's the interesting thing:
- the notes of Cmajor are CEG
- the notest of Ab7 are AbCEbGb
So, if you can end up on the inversion of Cmajor that has the C on top, you can leave it there for the Ab7, and the overall result will be very smooth.
C/EGC
Ab/EbGbC (keep the RH simple or it'll sound muddy)
Db/FAbDb

As usual, voice leading is king.

[T-Block]

Depends on what inversion you are on when you play the C major chord, and what inversion you want to end up on when you play the Db major chord.  Examples:

C / C-E-G
Ab / C-Eb-Gb-Ab
Db / Db-F-Ab

C / C-E-G
Ab / Ab-C-Eb-Gb
Db / Ab-Db-F

C / E-G-C
Ab / Eb-Gb-Ab-C
Db / F-Ab-Db

C / E-G-C
Ab / Gb-Ab-C-Eb
Db / F-Ab-Db

C / G-C-E
Ab / Gb-Ab-C-Eb
Db / F-Ab-Db

C / G-C-E
Ab / Gb-Ab-C-Eb
Db / Ab-Db-F

C / G-C-E
Ab / Ab-C-Eb-Gb
Db / Ab-Db-F

Those are just a few examples of what you could do.

I know I responded with this a few days ago, but I went back and played this, and I found out that these weren't very smooth modulations.  So, here is a coulpe chords to add to the ones above to make it more smoother.  Try this out:

C / G-C-E
*Bb / G-C-E   *dominant 7th chord, with the m7 in the bass
*Ab / Gb-Ab-Db-Eb   *sus dominant 7th chord
Ab / Gb-Ab-C-Eb
Db / F-Ab-Db

This way should be more smoother sounding than just going straight to the dominant 7th chord.

[keysareit]

Thanks Mr. NG, I can't wait to try these additional chords out!@