Ambient & Chill Music
4 videos • 614 views • by Ambient Architect Ambient music is a form of instrumental music that accentuates texture, tone, mood, and atmosphere. It does not contain the formal melodies or steady rhythms found in most popular music, opting instead to craft ambience from waves of aural textures. Some ambient albums also qualify as electronic music because their soundscapes are built on synthesizer pads. 5 Characteristics of Ambient Music: A few key elements provide a throughline for different subgenres of ambient music. 1. Emphasis on atmosphere and texture: From the new age-adjacent ambient style of Brian Eno to the psychedelic sounds of ambient dub music, the genre seeks to build atmosphere above all else. 2. Gradual exploration of timbre: Ambient music lingers on notes and chords for a long period of time. Artists create variation by shifting the timbre of the sounds, either by introducing new instruments or by applying filters to electronic sounds. 3. Minimal harmonic progression: Ambient music does not cycle through chords the way that pop music, jazz, and classical music do. It luxuriates on simple chords or even single notes as it builds out an overall atmosphere. 4. De-emphasized melodies: Ambient music is not known for its melodies as much as it is known for moods and soundscapes. This makes it different from Muzak, which is a smooth-sounding rendition of melody-driven songs. 5. Space for improvisation: Live ambient music has an improvisational aspect to it when producers and DJs experiment with sonic textures. Their improvisations are somewhat limited by the fact that most ambient music does not have distinct melodies or consistent chord changes.