| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
| Contents | ||
| Ambient / Space music | |
|---|---|
| The Cover of Brian Eno's Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks, widely considered a quintessential early ambient music release. | |
| Stylistic origins: | 20th century classical music, Electronic art music |
| Cultural origins: | 1970s |
| Typical instruments: | Electronic musical instruments, some ambient artists use traditional instrumentation of almost any variety |
| Mainstream popularity: | Low. |
| Derivative forms: | Ambient house - Ambient techno - Drum and bass |
| Subgenres | |
| Ambient house - Illbient - New Age - Dark ambient | |
| Other topics | |
| Ambient music artists | |
Ambient music is a loosely defined musical genre that incorporates elements of a number of different styles - including jazzFor other article subjects named Jazz see jazz (disambiguation). Jazz is a musical art form characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, and improvisation. It has been called the first original art form to develop in th, electronic musicElectronic music is a loose term for music created using electronic equipment. Any sound produced by the means of an electrical signal may reasonably be called electronic, and the term is sometimes used that way in music where acoustic performance is the, new age, rock and rollRock and roll also called rock is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony backing), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. As a cultural phenomenon,, modern classical musicThis article is about the broad genre of classical music in the Western musical tradition. For the period of music in the 18th century see Classical music era, for articles on classical music of non-Western cultures, see: List of classical music tradition and even noiseNoise music is harnessed sound that can be sonically harsh, painful, nauseating, and generally undesirable under normative circumstances. Noise" music could be viewed a contradiction in terms. Strictly speaking, "noise" is sound that is not wanted. The de. It is chiefly identifiable as having an overarching atmospheric context.
The term was first coined by Brian EnoBrian Peter George St. Jean le Baptiste de la Salle Eno usually given as Eno (born May 15, 1948), is an electronic musician, producer, and music theorist who started his musical career with Roxy Music. He then went on to produce a number of highly eclecti in the late 1970s to refer to music that would envelop the listener without drawing attention to itself. Hence, Brian Eno is considered the father of ambient music: his 1978 release includes a manifesto describing this music. Sometimes associated with elevator music and Muzak, it is more often similar to mood music or an ambient background in movie and radio sound effects. Often listeners will forget they are listening to ambient music, which is one of the biggest attractions of the genre. It can be any musical style, including jazz, electronic music and modern classical music.
Retrospectively, some of the works of the 20th century French composer Erik Satie, today best known for his Trois Gymnopédies suite, can be regarded as predecessors of modern ambient music. He referred to some of his music as 'furniture music'. The invention of the theremin in the early 20th century is also considered an important influence on the later development of ambient music. Similarly some of the works of the French composer Edgar Varèse, who used the theremin extensively in his music can also be viewed as predecessors of ambient music.
Early works from the 1970s by Kraftwerk have greatly influenced the genre. Other earlier artists such as Jean-Michel Jarre and Vangelis in the 1970s and Ray Lynch and Mannheim Steamroller in the 1980s, all of which were considered " New Age," also influenced the growth of ambient electronic music.
Purely ambient music is traditionally beatless. In the late 1980s and early 1990s ambient music underwent a resurgence with the reconciliation of rhythm with the dreamy, meandering reverb of the first (late 1970s - 1980s) wave of ambient music. Under the guise of various styles, ambient electronic music (sometimes referred to as ambient techno or ambient dub) saw the birth of a new wave of electronic music in the works of artists like The Orb, Aphex Twin and the Irresistible Force.