What is Calming Music
The term ‘New Age Music’ has become very overused and is loosely applied to a complete collection of diverse styles. For all intents and purposes it is new age music intended to make positive feelings, inspiration and relaxation.
The style first appeared in the 1970’s in Asia with artists like Kitaro generating what was then spacey sounding futuristic compositions by using banks of synthesizers. Kitaro would frequently render performances of the impressionist music of Debussy.
Now, the typical calming sound is perhaps made up of sustained synth pads with sequenced runs repeating underneath, this is repeatedly accompanied by an underlying drone bass or pedal giving a somewhat hypnotic and soothing effect.
This is the sort of music generally used for massages, healing sessions or other therapies.
One can find nevertheless many more diverse styles that are bundled together in the New Age Music genre. There’s quite a bit of melodic music, some piano based or maybe around some other solo instrument. There is a rising trend of using classical instruments alongside the dreamy sythesized sounds. This is sometimes referred to as neo-classical.
The ‘New Age’ label has become a genre group of its own encompassing a number of of the subsequent sub genres;
Alternative
Ambient
Celtic
Energy Healing
Ethnic Fusion
Healing
Nature
Neo-Classical
New Age
Progressive Alternative
Relaxation
Solo Instrumental
Space
Techno-Tribal
As you’ll be able to see the term ‘relaxing music‘ has turned out to be a little overworked and at the moment the term encompasses a great deal more than simply the distinctive ‘wallpaper’ music that it has become well-known for.
Musician and composer Andy Bramhill writes about soothing music on his website where you can get the latest details on his own CDs now obtainable for download.
http://andybramhill.com
