While the earliest New Age albums were tranquil and used for meditation, later music that became popular often pulled in elements of pop or rock but with a definitive atmosphere of relaxing, peaceful chords and melodies. The predictable melodies and choruses of most pop, rock, country, and even jazz stand out more than the musical features in New Age recordings. PeacefulnessĮven in the most modern New Age recordings, you won't find the driving sound of heavy rock guitars or the dissonance of much hard rock or heavy metal. Sometimes instruments that appear in large orchestras become the principal instrument, like a clarinet, flute, harp (which is often seen as hard to play), or harpsichord. Instruments not typically used in most other genres often feature heavily in this music. Some of the most famous artists used both, which gives a song a mix of sounds that adds to the New Age atmosphere. As the genre caught on, synthesizers and electronic instruments appeared. Some of the earliest New Age music was all acoustic. Babbling brooks, rainstorms, beach sounds or rainforest noises, whale songs, and bird songs are only a few of the natural sound effects often used. Nature sounds are common in New Age recordings too. These sounds feature heavily in the New Age subgenre of space music. Sometimes the sounds are from synthesizers and electronic devices designed to create cosmic or otherworldly effects.
New Age recordings, especially those designed for yoga, meditation, and relaxation, feature various sound effects that give each song a unique focus. New Age Music CharacteristicsÄespite the large variety of sounds in New Age music, a few characteristics help set it apart from other genres. The New Age music definition encompasses many other sounds, from Zen meditation melodies to synthesizers and progressive rock. Much modern New Age music stretches beyond the yoga and meditation soundtracks from the spiritual movement in the 1970s. The genre includes instrumentals, electronica, folk melodies from several cultures, and often a relaxing vibe specifically designed to help people meditate.