Steven Halpern

Steven Halpern in 2012

Steven Halpern is a New Age musician. He is aGrammy-award nominee and considered to be one of thefounding fathers of New Age music.

1 Early career

Halpern played trumpet and guitar in the New York Cityjazz scene of the 1960s, but became disenchanted with itand moved to California. There he began exploring theidea of creating music entirely for the purpose of relax-ation, which he called “anti-frantic alternative” music.[1]He began creating music which did not adhere to tradi-tional Western tonality, but which instead consisted ofstatic, minimalist pieces for electric piano inspired byEastern music. He is a proponent of theories which em-phasize the healing properties of music. He has beennamed by MTV as “the original new age artist”,[2] be-ginning his new age performance career in 1969.[3]

His first album was Spectrum Suite, released in 1975 andwhich is considered to be one of the first true new agemusic albums. He began an alternative marketing cam-paign in order to raise awareness about his music as thegenre was not yet widely known. He focused at venueslike health food stores, yoga conferences, and alterna-tive retailers.[4] In Billboard Magazine, John Dilibertostated that this album and Halpern’s independent market-

ing techniques “pioneered the market”.[5] The inspirationfor the album came partially from an experience Halpernhad in the California Redwoods, as well as trance or al-tered states he felt were inspired by his moments there.[6]

2 Commercial success

In the following ten years Halpern sold more than onemillion albums, which he released through his indepen-dent label Halpern Sounds. In 1985 he signed with Gra-mavision, and began releasing music through more main-stream labels.[7] Gramavision also licensed Halpern’sprior albums for sale in more traditional retail sectors,as well as alternative ones.[8] Halpern has recorded morethan 50 albums. The most commercially successful ofthese was 2000’s Deja-Blues, which reached #18 on theU.S. Billboard Top New Age Albums chart.[9] He isalso the author of two books, Tuning the Human Instru-ment and Sound Health. Halpern has provided readingsfrom his books and lectures in accompaniment to hisperformances.[10] Halpern was also an inaugural memberof the Independent Music Awards’ judging panel to sup-port independent artists.[11]

Halpern’s musical albums have been known to sell at aconsistent rate for up to 25 years after their release,[12] andby 1996 he had sold more than two million albums.[13] Inaddition to being a recording artist, he is known as oneof the founders of the new age music philosophy, whichcreated the musical trends within the genre.[14] Part ofhis philosophy was to replace more static noise providerslike television or radio with sounds that resonated betterwith the chakras.[15] A recent development in his musicincludes the inclusion of dolphin and whale songs into hismusic, in an effort to insert 7.8 Hz frequencies into hismusic.[16]

3 Self-help recordings

Halpern was involved in the recording of self-help audiocassettes since the 1970s. His techniques included theuse of self-hypnosis and subliminal persuasion, in orderto try and release the listener’s mind more directly fromthe stress affecting it. Often one side of his recording wasmeant to be played at night before bed, with the oppositeside meant to be played in the background while a personperformed their normal daily activities. Voices inaudibleto the regular ear are imbedded in the tape, attempting to

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2 5 DISCOGRAPHY

provide suggestive content to the mind.[17] Halpern hasalso designed recordings that are meant to be played forup to 8 hours continuously, to be used by individuals ex-periencing medical distress such as those enduring child-birth or surgery.[18]

Halpern’s music was specifically utilized in the self-help recordings of John Bradshaw, a public figure inalternative addictions treatment through the 1970s and1980s.[19] Part of his philosophy is that ambient noisecoming from ones surrounding is psychologically andphysically damaging. His book Sound Health: The Mu-sic and Sounds that Make us Whole he commented that acombination of the decibels in the noises around us cancombine to harm the body even in the home, and thatnoise from our neighbours can harm individuals even iftheir own homes are not producing too much noise.[20]His books have led to Halpern being called one of thefathers of musicology.[21]

4 Awards

In 1989 Halpern was awarded the Crystal Award at thefirst International New Age Music Conference.[13] In2013 Halpern was nominated for the Grammy Award forBest New Age Album for his album Deep Alpha.[22]

5 Discography• Spectrum Suite (1975)

• “I” A Cosmic Attunement (1977)

• Peruvian Whistling Vessels (1978)

• Ancient Echoes (1978) (with Georgia Kelly)

• Starborn Suite (1979)

• Zodiac Suite (1979)

• Hear to Eternity (1979)

• Rings of Saturn (1979)

• Comfort Zone (1980)

• Corridors of Time (1982)

• Dawn (1983)

• Recollections (with Daniel Kobialka) (1983)

• Connections (1984)

• Threshold (1986)

• Crystal Suite (1987)

• Gaia’s Groove (1989)

• Islands in Time (1990)

• Effortless Relaxation (1991)

• Enhancing Self-Esteem (1991)

• Health and Well-Being (1991)

• Higher Ground (1991)

• Nurturing Your Inner Child (1991)

• Radiant Health and Well-Being (1991)

• Ancient Echoes (1993)

• Creating Love (1993)

• Eastern Peace (1993)

• Enhancing Sensual Pleasure (1993)

• Art of Sexual Ecstasy (1994)

• Jonah’s Journey (1994)

• Letting Go of Stress (1994)

• Natural Light (1994)

• Overcoming Substance Abuse (1994)

• Radiance (1994)

• Recollections (1994)

• Recovering from Co-Dependency (1994)

• Safe Driving (1994)

• Starting the Day (1994)

• Enhancing Intimacy (1994)

• Enhancing Massage (1994)

• Enhancing Success (1994)

• Inner Peace (1994)

• Lullabies for Your Inner Child (1994)

• Lullaby Suite (1994)

• Self-Healing (1994)

• Sleep Soundly (1994)

• Gifts of the Angels (1994)

• Trance-Zendance: Ambient Entracement (1995)

• Accelerating Learning (1996)

• Enhancing Creativity (1996)

• Music for Your PC (1996)

• Afro-Desia (1996)

• In the Key of Healing (1996)

• Relaxation Spontanee (1996)

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• Attracting Prosperity (1997)

• Music for Lovers (1997)

• Stop Smoking (1997)

• Workstation Wellness (1997)

• Achieving Your Ideal Weight (1997)

• The Sacred Chorde, with Fabien Maman on modernmonochord (1998)

• Prophecies (1998)

• Music for Accelerated Learning (1999)

• Music for Sound Healing (1999)

• Serenity Suite:Music & Nature (1999)

• Divine Intervention (1999)

• Sound Chi (1999)

• Deja-Blues (2000)

• Chants to Awaken the Buddhist Heart (2000)

• Cruise Control (2001)

• Chakra Suite (2001)

• Transitions (2002)

• Music for Massage (2002)

• Perfect Alignment (2002)

• Sound Medicine:Music for Healing (2002)

• Crystal Bowl Healing (2003)

• Ocean Suite (2003)

• Healing Songs of Earth & Sky (2004)

• Tonal Alchemy (2005)

• Music for Healing & Unwinding (2006)

• Lake Suite (2006)

• Music for Babies (2006)

• Initiation Inside the Great Pyramid (2007)

• Music for Lovers, Vol. 2 (2007)

• In the Om Zone (2007)

• Drum Spirit (2007)

• Peace of Mind (2007)

• Creativity

• Lifetide

• Peak Performance

• Radiance:Love Songs Without Words

• Recovering from Alcoholism

• Rhythms of Vision

• Shared Vision

• Soundwave 2000 Series

6 External links

• Inner Peace Music Steven Halpern - StevenHalpern’s website

7 References[1] Steven Halpern at Allmusic

[2] “Steven Halpern bio”. MTV. Retrieved April 30, 2013.

[3] Susan Smith Jones (2010). The Joy Factor: 10 SacredPractices for Radiant Health. Conari Press. p. 74. Re-trieved April 30, 2013.

[4] Maria Armoudian (April 1, 1995). “Beyond MainstreamMarketing”. Billboard Magazine. p. 64. Retrieved April30, 2013.

[5] John Diliberto (March 22, 1997). “Beyond the Stars”.Billboard Magazine. p. 44. Retrieved April 30, 2013.

[6] Jon Klimo (1998). Channeling: Investigations on Receiv-ing Information from Paranormal Sources, Second Edi-tion. North Atlantic Books. p. 379.

[7] “Eclectic Musician”. Billboard Magazine. October 25,1986. p. N10. Retrieved April 30, 2013.

[8] Derek Richardson (November 1986). “The Sounds ofSominex”. Mother Jones. p. 60. Retrieved April 30,2013.

[9] Billboard, Allmusic.com

[10] “Steven Halpern”. Deseret News. January 25, 1985. Re-trieved April 30, 2013.

[11] Independent Music Awards - Past Judges

[12] Betty Timm (March 27, 1999). “Scanning the Retail Sit-uation”. Billboard Magazine. p. 58. Retrieved April 30,2013.

[13] Gay L. Williamson (1996). Golden Eggs: Spiritual Wis-dom for Birthing Our Live. HCI. Retrieved April 30,2013.

[14] Stephen A. Marini (2003). Sacred song in America: re-ligion, music, and public culture. University of IllinoisPress. p. 178.

[15] Marini, p. 167

4 7 REFERENCES

[16] Brian Luke Seaward (2011). Managing Stress: Principlesand Strategies for Health andWell-Being. Jones & BartlettPublishers. p. 436.

[17] John Hanc (October 26, 1986). “The Power Of PositiveTape Playing”. Newsday. Retrieved April 30, 2013.

[18] Don Campbell (1991). Music: Physician for Times toCome : an Anthology. Quest Books. p. 161.

[19] “11th Step”. Lakeland Ledger. September 29, 1991. Re-trieved April 30, 2013.

[20] “Noise can damage more than hearing, author says”.Montreal Gazette. May 25, 1985. Retrieved April 30,2013.

[21] “Therapist’s Music Makes Powerful Medicine”. DeseretNews. November 7, 1986. Retrieved April 30, 2013.

[22] “Grammys 2013: Complete list of nominees and win-ners”. Los Angeles Times. February 10, 2013. RetrievedApril 30, 2013.

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8 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

8.1 Text• Steven Halpern Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Halpern?oldid=665853960 Contributors: Mjb, MarnetteD, Chubbles,Waacstats, Informed1212, Grunnah, TXiKiBoT,Mercurywoodrose, Jdubowsky, Elegie, Mr vanhorn, Addbot, Lemonzoo, Yobot, J MilburnBot, Ezarate, Kfbianco, Domica, CarreyB, RjwilmsiBot, ClueBot NG, CactusBot, VinculumMan, Loriendrew, Jeremy112233, Mogism,CraigAlan57, Robtmor, KasparBot and Anonymous: 11

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