A Guide to Using JUMP - Key Override

Key Override

Use this control to temporarily override the song's key for the duration of the section. To select a key for the section click with the left mouse button and choose an item from the pop-up menu.

You can also click with the right mouse button to step through the keys (or click with the right mouse button while holding down the CTRL key to step backwards through the keys).

When active this control is highlighted and shows which key is to be used instead of the song key while the section is playing.

Select the Uses Song Key option in the pop-up menu to disable a key override.

B (Cb) major G# (Ab) minor

Bb major G minor

A major F# minor

Ab major F minor

G major E minor

F# (Gb) major D# (Eb) minor

F major D minor

E major C# minor

Eb major C minor

D major B minor

Db (C#) major Bb (A#) minor

C major A minor

Uses Song Key

A change of key during a song is called a "key modulation" and has a number of uses, some rather cliché like repeating a melody a semi-tone (half-step) higher, others more subtle. Key modulation is particularly useful in JUMP as it provides a controlled way to access a much wider range of chords. Although you don't hear much about modulation in discussions of pop, rock or jazz; such modulations are often implicit and can be found by close analysis of the chord progressions.

The default Harmonic view of the Radar shows pitches as scale positions relative to the current key; to see the effects of key modulation try using one of the Chromatic views instead.

The Playlist uses red rather than white rectangles to show which sections are in a different key to the rest of the song.

Common Key Modulations

When changing key it is easier to modulate to a key that has many notes in common with the original. The Circle of Fifths (shown "unrolled" in the table below) is useful for determining which keys have the most notes in common.

Major

B (Cb)

F# (Gb)

Db (C#)

Relative Minor

F#m

C#m

G#m (Abm)

D#m (Ebm)

Bbm (A#m)

Key Signature

###

####

##### (bbbbbbb)

###### (bbbbbb)

bbbbb (#######)

bbbb

Good candidates for easy key modulations are close neighbours in this table (within one step left, right, up, down or diagonally; wrapping around the ends if needed).

As an example, if the current key is G major then a modulation to C major, A minor, E minor, B minor or D major would work well...

C G D

Am Em Bm

As another example, the key of A minor could easily modulate to D minor, F major, C major, G major or E minor...

F C G

Dm Am Em

You don't need to restrict yourself to these "easy" key changes; modulations to more "remote" keys are useful for introducing tension and excitement.

Next topic: Contents > Section Pages > Resets Energy Button

B (Cb) major	G# (Ab) minor
Bb major	G minor
A major	F# minor
Ab major	F minor
G major	E minor
F# (Gb) major	D# (Eb) minor
F major	D minor
E major	C# minor
Eb major	C minor
D major	B minor
Db (C#) major	Bb (A#) minor
C major	A minor
Uses Song Key