• Ethnic
  Instruments
• 
  Harmonicas
• Independent
  Music
• Music
  Accessories
• Putumayo
  World Music
• 
  Resources
• Sageman
  Drums
• 
  Services

Independent Celtic Music

Referring to the regions of Great Britain specifically outside England, celtic music encompasses the folk music of Ireland and Scotland (plus the outlying areas of Wales and Cornwall), distinguished by stringed instruments, fiddles and pipes. It is a term that covers both classic, traditional folk and contemporary Celtic music, which often combines the instrumentation of the genre with ambient New Age production and spirituality.

More superficially the term 'Celtic' has come to apply to an easy-listening, 'mood' music with dreamy, non-specific but Irish/Scots flavor, marketed as 'relaxing', 'evocative', etc. Yet celtic music, as with other musical styles, has grown and expanded.

In the early 1980's, celtic music took a new direction. Enya and Clannad introduced a new sound that is now known as Celtic New Age. This style of celtic music is largely based more around synthesizers and heavy effects. It attempts to capture the "feel" of "celtic music". Clannad was followed by Loreena McKennit, Sara McLaughlin and many more artists.

Celtic Rock began with the formation of the Scottish band Runrig who combined Scots Gaelic in a modern rock band. They were the first successful band to do so, and their success spawned countless imitators. In general, most Celtic Rock bands combine their sound with some traditional Celtic sound whether that be instrumentation (such as fiddle andbagpipes) or vocal (singing in Gaelic).

Independent Music From Independent Bands and Musicians