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5.5.3 Half Steps and Whole Steps: Using the Degrees of a Major Scale to Modulate
Another way to strongly signal a shift in tonal centre is use the degrees of a major scale to modulate, for example, by running up and down in half steps and whole steps.to exploit the other semitone interval in the major diatonic scale, the interval from 3 to 4.
Suppose, for example, your tune starts by running up the scale in steps, from 1 to 3 and back a few times. Then it moves from 7 to 1 (8) to establish 1 as the tonal centre.
Then suppose the tune repeats a half-step move from 3 to 4 several times, then continues up the scale a whole step to 5, then 6, touching on ♭7, then back down to 6 and up to ♭7 and back once or twice. Then back down to 5, then 4.
For example, starting in the key of C major, the tune would run up and down the scale from C to D to E and back a few times. And also from B to C to establish the initial tonal centre.
Then it would go from E to F several times. Then it would proceed up to G, A, and touch on B♭, back and forth once or twice. Then back down to G, then F.