music 123: Space Music

A break in the space music
While most students want to know when to play certain notes and chords, it is equally important to know when not to play. For example, I am a student who knows how to improvise and play in the style of New Age. What he did not know how to do this to allow some breathing room. I tried to teach him that you should not play recorded on the record, but allows for some lag.

Finally he got it. He learned to not rush, and a pause between the notes is as important as the notes themselves - especially in the New Age style of piano playing. Listen to New Age Piano pioneer Steven Halpern to get a good Space Music idea to do so. Steven literally defined "breather" for the music. Music floats in the air. This is pure improvisation and, if you listen to him play, you'll see that "it was one of the easiest styles to play in.

He let the space between the notes to work on it. There's no rush here. It's very trance inducing and calming. To play this way, you should be very much on and listen to what comes. There is no planning or thought here, except, perhaps, to select the key or mode to play in. Then you just have to improvise.

The space music between the music is just as important as the music itself. In fact, no spaces, you will not have this style. Space determines the style of music. Many New Age pianists imitated Halpern and you can not do better, to learn how to master the art of silence, than listen to him. Also, check online writer Piano Lesson "Eastern Sunrise" to get another good example of a "breather". By Edward Weiss