| New Age music is meant to soothe the soul. | | | | throughout the US and Europe were |
| Developed in the 1960's as a way to expand | | | | experimenting with their instruments. They |
| consciousness, New Age music continues to relax | | | | wanted to develop something that would open |
| and inspire listeners today. New Age is not the | | | | the mind, and soon the first New Age music was |
| syrupy synthesized songs you hear in the | | | | recorded for meditation. Radio stations around the |
| elevator at work. On the contrary, New Age | | | | world sampled a few tracks in the years that |
| music isn't meant to annoy; it is meant to soothe | | | | followed, but they were never commercial hits. |
| and relax. Think of the kind of music you'd like in | | | | Today there are music stations and even |
| the background while meditating or practicing | | | | television channels all over the world dedicated to |
| yoga. If it's something like a single flute or | | | | this genre of music. New Age music also goes by |
| waterfalls mixed with a faint piano tinkling, you're | | | | World music, Chill music and Ambient. Although |
| thinking of New Age music. | | | | they're not exactly alike, they do overlap. |
| The New Age style is soft, serene and relaxing. | | | | The rhythms of New Age are soft, soothing and |
| The tracks on a New Age compilation sometimes | | | | don't invade the consciousness, which is what |
| feature one set of panpipes, but they also | | | | makes it so relaxing. It helps clear the mind and |
| frequently include a whole arrangement of | | | | relieve stress, more so than a thrash-metal |
| instruments. Usually it includes the acoustic guitar | | | | compilation would. People play it in their homes to |
| or the piano, but Eastern-inspired instruments like | | | | create a welcome and peaceful atmosphere. |
| the sitar and the tabla are also used on occasion. | | | | Others have it on in the background while reading |
| The rhythms are often repetitive, interspersed | | | | or studying. Their minds are more relaxed, so |
| with nature sounds like birds chirping, a mountain | | | | they absorb more than they would in absolute |
| stream running or underwater whale noises. While | | | | silence. New Age music is also popular with |
| electric instruments are sometimes thrown in to | | | | parents of young babies. An alternative to classical |
| add a different dimension, the aim is always to | | | | music, they play it in the nursery so that the |
| create soothing music. | | | | baby's mind becomes sharper and more receptive |
| New Age music is meant is calm the listener's | | | | to learning. |
| mind and spirit, and therefore it is as far from | | | | When thinking of New Age artists, everyone |
| intrusive and jarring as possible. Sometimes there | | | | immediately thinks of Enya. Although the Celtic |
| are vocals, albeit soft and very much in the | | | | singer's music isn't strictly New Age, it's definitely |
| background. Other times the track will consist only | | | | something you would find in the New Age section |
| of voices, like a monastery choir and nothing else. | | | | at the CD store. Some other current New Age |
| The voices featured on New Age tracks are | | | | artists are pianists like George Skaroulis, George |
| singing, chanting or just speaking in a variety of | | | | Winston, David Lanz and Kathy Parsons. Browse |
| languages. It's not unusual for the languages to be | | | | through the New Age section the next time |
| quite obscure. New Age composers often venture | | | | you're out hunting for new, interesting music. Even |
| into undeveloped parts of the world to record the | | | | if it is not your favorite kind of music, you will find |
| voices of little-known tribes living there. | | | | it relaxing at times. |
| For much of the 60's and 70's, musicians | | | | |