- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
4 Subgenres of Ambient Music:
The contemporary ambient music scene has spawned many distinct genres, most of which are variations on ambient electronica.
- Ambient House: Ambient house music is a close cousin to classic Chicago house and acid house music, which are characterized by four-on-the-floor bass drum beats and analog synthesizers. The “ambient” component to ambient house involves layered sonic textures without a tonal center.
- Ambient Techno: Ambient techno is a more melodically active ambient electronic genre. Some of the biggest names in ambient EDM—including Autechre and Aphex Twin—are considered ambient techno.
- Ambient Dub: Inspired by the Jamaican dub music tradition, ambient dub offers an edgy, psychedelic take on ambient music. It is highly associated with the 1990s English record label Beyond Records and nineties acts like the Orb and Higher Intelligence Agency.
- Dark Ambient: Dark ambient artists craft atmospheres that evoke fear and dread. This music—by groups like Nurse with Wound and Scorn—borders on industrial music and even avant-garde noise.