This paper presents a carrier-based modulation method for the control of a matrix converter. By using the offset voltage and changing the slope of the carrier, it is possible to synthesize sinusoidal input currents with unity power factor and the desired output voltages. The proposed method is equivalent to the so called SVPWM (Space Vector PWM) method, but its implementation is much easier. Moreover, the proposed method is very attractive because it is possible to apply the 2 phase t 3 phase modulation method, overmodulation method and other methods which are well-developed in the study of voltage source inverters (VSI) to the matrix coverter modulation. The feasibility of the proposed modulation method has been verified by computer simulation and experimental results.