New Age music is peaceful music of various
styles that is intended to create relaxation and positive feelings.
Some but not all new age music is associated with New Age beliefs. New
Age music is typically relaxing and inspiring, and is often used by
listeners for such activities as yoga, massage, meditation, reading,
as a method of stress management[1] or to create a peaceful atmosphere
in their home or other environments.
The harmonies in new age music are generally modal, consonant, or
include a drone bass. The melodies are often repetitive, to create a
hypnotic feeling, and sometimes recordings of nature sounds are used
as an introduction to a track or throughout the piece. Songs of up to
30 minutes duration are not uncommon.
New Age music includes both electronic forms, frequently relying on
sustained pads or long sequencer-based runs, and acoustic forms,
featuring instruments such as flutes, piano, acoustic guitar and a
wide variety of non-western acoustic instruments. In many cases,
high-quality digitally sampled instruments are used instead of natural
acoustic instruments. Vocal arrangements were initially rare in New
Age music but as it has evolved vocals have become more common,
especially vocals featuring Sanskrit, Tibetan or Native
American-influenced chants, or lyrics based on mythology such as
Celtic legends or the realm of Faerie.
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