Methods, systems, and devices for techniques for low power operation are described. A device may be configurable to operate in a first mode and a second mode, where the first mode may include transmitting using a first modulation scheme having two logic levels and the second mode may include transmitting using a second modulation scheme having three or more (e.g., four) logic levels. The device may identify a data symbol for transmission and select, from the first mode and the second mode, the first modulation scheme for the transmission. In some example, the device may determine which of the two modes to select based on a value stored at a mode register. Here, the value stored by the mode register may indicate to utilize the first modulation scheme associated with the first mode. Thus, the device may transmit the data symbol by a signal modulated by the first modulation scheme.