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.