When you hear the final verse of a song, such as a hymn, rise in pitch, that’s called a modulation—a shift into a higher key to make the music sound stronger and more joyful. A key is like the musical home base: it’s the collection of notes and chords that feel like “where the song belongs.”

Many hymns, such as “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” normally stay in one key, like D♭ major. But musicians sometimes modulate to a new key—like moving up to E♭ major—right before the hymn’s final verse. Even though the melody stays mostly the same, the higher pitch gives you an emotional lift and makes the song feel more powerful and meaningful.

Listen to this video explaining how to do a modulation in a hymn while the congregation is singing, in a way that won't confuse them:

Notice how suddenly shifting up a step brightens the sound. You can hear the modulation around 3:00 in this video of "Great is Thy Faithfulness."

Now it’s your turn! Try singing or playing the chorus of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” in the original key, then sing it again a step higher. How does it feel? Brighter? More uplifting? That sense of energy is what modulation brings—just like the hymn’s message of God’s faithfulness rising with each new day.

Optional:

If you'd like an advanced explanation about modulation, here is my lesson from the Advanced Music Theory for Teens online course: Modulation starts at 4:22