| Different styles of music have different "sounds." | | | | itself allowing itto speak through them. Of course, |
| We canall pretty much agree on that point. For | | | | I'm not saying that this can'thappen in Jazz, but, |
| example, Jazz usesseventh chords almost | | | | just watch a Jazz performer and you'll seewhat I |
| exclusively. This, and the kind of | | | | mean. |
| chordprogressions used in Jazz gives it its unique | | | | Last but not least is rhythm. Let's do a |
| flavor. But whatabout new age music? Does it | | | | comparison/contrastbetween Jazz and New Age |
| have it's own special ingredients? | | | | music. Jazz has a definite discerniblerhythm. It is |
| Yes it does. | | | | what makes Jazz Jazz. New age music can have |
| Now, there are no hard and fast rules here but | | | | apattern or an underlying rhythm to the music. It |
| for the mostpart, new age music is a consonant | | | | can be used tocreate trance like states in the |
| music. That is, there islittle or noharshness going | | | | listener. Drums are usuallya part of Jazz music. |
| on in the music. No Saxes wailingand what not. | | | | Percussion is mostly absent from the New |
| Having said that we can eliminate most of | | | | Age sound simply because it would not add to the |
| thetense jazz chords and their voicing. So what | | | | atmosphere most |
| are we left with? | | | | New Age musicians create. Timing is very |
| Mostly Major and minor chords based on the | | | | important to the Jazzmusician. The soloist has the |
| regular scales andthe modes. The chord | | | | freedom to play whatever he wantsas long as he |
| progressions are simpler and usually starton the l | | | | maintains the meter and stays in time. New Age |
| chord. No ll-V-l progressions here. | | | | musicis more elastic in that timing is there, but is |
| What about melody? In jazz, we have a soloist | | | | not a master ofthe player. The New Age player |
| who usually playsa lot of chromatic notes. This is | | | | can disregard time altogether. |
| rare in new age music becauseit would create | | | | Just listen to Zen flute music as a good example |
| dissonance. New age melodies tend to be | | | | of this. |
| softerand more on the spiritual side. Solos, if there | | | | Now, what does all this mean for the aspiring New |
| are any, are notso much concerned with the | | | | Age musician? Acouple of good things. It means |
| expression of the self than they arewith letting | | | | that there is a definite new age |
| the music express itself. A subtle but very | | | | "sound" out there. That it is here to stay and that |
| importantdistinction. Jazz players may have some | | | | people likeand need to hear it. And it means that |
| ego invested in theirperformance. New age | | | | there are some guidelinesout there for what |
| musicians learn to let the music play them. | | | | defines the meaning of New Age music. |
| They learn to become a channel for the music | | | | Article written by Edward Weiss. |