New Age Music Site

So, you’re looking for free piano sheet music. But not just any kind. You want New Age piano sheet music. But it’s sadly lacking in both online and offline locations. Until now. You see, I love New Age piano music. Spent most of my adult life creating and playing it.

And to tell you the truth, I’m disappointed in the complete lack of resources for this genre. The classical music world has literally millions of pieces of sheet music. And jazz? You can find thousands of lead sheets, written sheets, and complete pieces for piano available. And New Age? Forget about it.

Of course there is sheet music for New Age piano. Hal Leonard has some as do other music publishers. But it was mostly published back in the 1980’s when New Age piano hit it’s peak of popularity. Where can you find the new stuff? Unfortunately, there isn’t much being produced.

My search of the internet revealed a few artists who create New Age piano sheet music but most of them charge for it. Nothing wrong with that. They’re trying to make money doing what they love and they should get paid. But what about the beginning pianist who loves New Age piano music and just wants to play a few beginners pieces? Where should they go?

Now you can find free piano sheet music in the New Age style. I’ve created a blog where I’ll post fresh sheet music regularly. And best of all…it’s free! Why am I doing this? Because I love the genre and I want more people to get interested in it. I know many of you enjoy this style of music but are a little ashamed to say you like New Age piano. I understand. No one I know likes the term “new age” but we’re stuck with it. At least it lets us know the kind of music we’re playing.

It’s not what you play, it’s how you play it. These words summarize the art of piano playing in general and New Age piano playing in particular. You could take 2 chords, and, if you were in the moment and in flow, communicate the utmost emotion and power.

However, give the same two chords to someone who is more concerned with image than music and the sound won’t have the appeal - the attractive quality that pulls the listener closer like honey to a bee.

The secret is not how much you know or how good you think you can become. No. The secret to the art of New Age piano playing is being able to forget yourself and express yourself without ego. Then you will begin to understand the meaning of art. For it is only when we transcend ourselves does something real appear.

What comes out of you is something from you but it is also something greater - a spiritual something that says, “let go and let the music come of its own accord.” Can you create this kind of music? A music that is subtle yet very powerful. A music that can penetrate to the depths yet still remain lovely and light. Yes, you can do it. The secret? Get out of the way and let the music tell you where it wants to go.

After you learn technique and theory and a little bit of improvisation skill, you will be able to grow and create in proportion to your ability to get out of the way and let the music take over. To do this requires a listening ability somewhat similar to meditation. That is, you must be open and receptive to what comes next - never forcing, never trying to come up with something.

When you are in this listening frame of mind, wonderful things begin to happen. But when you try to create something, you set yourself up for blocks. Why? Because the trying blocks the listening, receptive attitude necessary for improvisation. The key to getting around this is to walk away and come back later. Believe me, you can try and try but if nothing is coming, it probably won’t come at this moment.

Art appears when you are in the moment. The art of New Age piano, like any other art requires you to learn the skills and techniques - then forget about them and begin to play.

When it comes to New Age piano music, I have a few favorites. In fact, there are really just 2 people that come to mind. And both of them have completely different styles. I’m speaking about George Winston and John Herberman.

George Winston literally put New Age piano music on the map. Of course, there were other’s before Winston who specialized in this genre (namely Steven Halpern) but it was Winston’s album “December” that skyrocketed this style of piano playing into popular culture.

To say that this music was and is different than what most people usually listen to is an understatement. And really, this kind of music shouldn’t have been as popular as it was, but when this album came out in the early 1980’s it captivated a large audience.

I think it may have to do with its accessibility. So many people are afraid of classical music because they think they have to “figure it out.” It is, for the most part, much more organized and subtle than what most people listen to on a daily basis.

Then along comes Winston with “December.” Here was music that sounded classical, yet wasn’t. It was more atmospheric and easily digestible. In short, it gave listeners an experience of something profound. Yet it was easy on the ears.

My next favorite New Age pianist/composer is John Herberman. Now most of you probably don’t know who he is. He records for the “Solitude’s” label. Solitude’s combines nature sounds with music.

When I first heard Herberman’s music, I was in a Images of Nature store in La Jolla CA. And I have to tell you that I was immediately spellbound. It literally put me in a trance. So poignant and beautiful were these simple melodies. And played with the hands of a master.

Herberman’s style is very different than Winston’s. A much lighter touch is employed, yet the music that comes out is sublime.

If you’re into the New Age piano music genre, I highly suggest listening to “Forest Piano” by John Herberman and “December” or “Autumn” by George Winston. You won’t regret it.

I’ll never forget the first time I read the joke… “What do you get when you play New Age music backwards.” The answer really cracked me up… “You get New Age music.”

It’s a point that’s well taken. But the people who put down and criticize this style of music are really missing the point. You see, New Age music isn’t about trying to create sophisticated sonatas or perfect preludes.

It’s really about a feeling - a feeling that goes through you, allows you to relax, and perhaps take a breath from the hectic pace of life. It’s about spirit… allowing the music to flow through you and transport you to a more peaceful place.

Still, there are those who insist this music is nothing but aural wallpaper - not to be taken seriously and to be put down at every chance.

Well, they have one part right. It’s definitely not to be taken seriously. It’s to be enjoyed - a concept that many “serious” musicians have a problem understanding. And this is really not their fault.

Academic snobbism in the music world does exist. It equates “good” music with “sophisticated” music. But not only is this a useless comparison, it’s harmful as well.

The simple truth of the matter is we like what we like. As soon as you try and instruct someone on why they should like something - whether it’s because it’s supposed to be good, or because it’s considered to be a master work of art, danger sets in. Why?

Because once you lose trust in yourself, once you start to doubt what you really like, you’ll start to lose an important part of yourself. That innocent trusting part that simply knows what you like and love and doesn’t need someone to point it out

Many music collection on the Internet are quite expensive, you see there are new age relaxation music CD’s but each one of them costs over $15 and tracks on these CD do not vary much. So what to do about it? Well, there is a pretty lucrative way to get a nice collection of quality music for relaxation, meditation or everything else that I haven’t mentioned (Yoga practices). And the best part is it won’t take as much resources as most web sites do.

If you already have a new age relaxation music then it will be a very nice addition, if you don’t then it will be a really good start, since you not only get new age mp3’s but other genres too. There are many web sites that offer relaxation CD’s, however, many of them do not have samples, which makes it a total guess, you don’t know what you’re paying for. But this web site I have found, has samples of almost every song they have, which does help a lot, since you know what you are paying for.

Just imagine how much money you will save in the long run with a web site that has access to unlimited new age relaxation music files. The best part is that you can download as many songs as you like and burn them to CD, or transfer to your iPod/iPhone to enjoy them on the go. Listen to it while driving, having a walk, or just sitting at home and meditating.

If you’re interested in checking out the web site I am talking about you have to read the review I have found, it pretty much sums it all up. You can start downloading new age relaxation music within minutes.

Different styles of music have different “sounds.” We can all pretty much agree on that point. For example, Jazz uses seventh chords almost exclusively. This, and the kind of chord progressions used in Jazz gives it its unique flavor. But what about new age music? Does it have it’s own special ingredients? Yes it does.

Now, there are no hard and fast rules here but for the most part, new age music is a consonant music. That is, there is little or noharshness going on in the music. No Saxes wailing and what not. Having said that we can eliminate most of the tense jazz chords and their voicing. So what are we left with? Mostly Major and minor chords based on the regular scales and the modes. The chord progressions are simpler and usually start on the l chord. No ll-V-l progressions here.

What about melody? In jazz, we have a soloist who usually plays a lot of chromatic notes. This is rare in new age music because it would create dissonance. New age melodies tend to be softer and more on the spiritual side. Solos, if there are any, are not so much concerned with the expression of the self than they are with letting the music express itself. A subtle but very important distinction. Jazz players may have some ego invested in their performance. New age musicians learn to let the music play them. They learn to become a channel for the music itself allowing it to speak through them. Of course, I’m not saying that this can’t happen in Jazz, but, just watch a Jazz performer and you’ll see what I mean.

Last but not least is rhythm. Let’s do a comparison/contrast between Jazz and New Age music. Jazz has a definite discernible rhythm. It is what makes Jazz Jazz. New age music can have a pattern or an underlying rhythm to the music. It can be used to create trance like states in the listener. Drums are usually a part of Jazz music. Percussion is mostly absent from the New Age sound simply because it would not add to the atmosphere most New Age musicians create. Timing is very important to the Jazz musician. The soloist has the freedom to play whatever he wants as long as he maintains the meter and stays in time. New Age music is more elastic in that timing is there, but is not a master of the player. The New Age player can disregard time altogether. Just listen to Zen flute music as a good example of this.

Now, what does all this mean for the aspiring New Age musician? A couple of good things. It means that there is a definite new age “sound” out there. That it is here to stay and that people like and need to hear it. And it means that there are some guidelines out there for what defines the meaning of New Age music.

Having played what is commonly called “New Age Piano” for the last 16 years, you’d think I’d be qualified to define it. But I’ll be perfectly honest with you and say I haven’t the slightest clue!

Here’s what I know. I know the music is more consonant than dissonant. I know that the harmonies are mostly major but can be minor and that chord choice leans towards a “clean” sound. As far as melody goes, it can be anything from an ambient melange with no discernible direction to a simple folk spun line a child could follow.

Now that the basic elements of music are out of the way, I really couldn’t tell you what makes New Age Piano “new age.”

Is it the relaxing aspect of this music that makes it “new age?” Perhaps, but then classical music is also quite relaxing and soothing as well. Is it the artists themselves who play this music? Maybe, but speaking personally, I can tell you that I don’t practice a “new age” religion - whatever that is and I don’t believe in much of what is espoused as “new age” philosophy. As a matter of fact, I don’t even know what “new age” philosophy is but I’m guessing that it’s anything besides what mainstream religion/philosophy is.

So what makes New Age music New Age? I don’t really know. I can only tell you that when it came time to market these CDs to the world, executives in marketing realized the music would sell better if it were under a different umbrella than say, jazz or classical. I imagine they came up with the term New Age for the soothing qualities much of this music has. Which is fine by me.