For example, a chord which both keys have in common can be used for the transition; this is called diatonic¹⁾ modulation. The chord occurring in the first key is reinterpreted as a chord in the target key. The subdominant (= 4^th note) or the subdominant parallel (= 2^nd note) of the new key are particularly popular.

The dominant seventh chords can be reinterpreted as the dominant chords of their highest note (the seventh).

By increasing or decreasing (altering) a tone by one semitone step, it can become a transition to another key.